


Breakfast in Bed

by redchemist



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2018-10-14 05:57:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 63,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10530321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redchemist/pseuds/redchemist
Summary: The pair was alone for the first time in months.  What better way for Becky to start their day off than by surprising Alyssa with breakfast in bed?  Their roller coaster journey from girlfriends to wives.  Filled with joy, laughter, and of course the entire USWNT.  What could possibly go wrong?





	1. The Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becky surprises Alyssa with breakfast in bed and a little something more.

“No Athena, I don’t need or desire your help this morning. Stay down!” Becky scooped up and gently removed the protesting feline from her kitchen counter. The defender was attempting to make breakfast for her girlfriend. The two hadn’t gotten to spend much quality time together so she wanted to take advantage of their week-long break before camp. The two were tucked away in Becky’s house in Kansas City after visiting both sets of relatives. Her girlfriend was sleeping peacefully, which gave Becky time to get up and start on the plan she put into action a little over a month prior. She wanted to surprise her with a very special breakfast in bed.

Becky ignored the cat’s protest and returns to making Alyssa’s omelet. The home fries were sizzling on the opposite burner and the strawberries were in the sink, ready to be washed. Everything was going according to plan, even with the kitties trying to help. Freyja joined her sister and together they wove between Becky’s legs, meowing for some spinach. Becky needed them quiet – she couldn’t risk them waking up Alyssa before everything was ready – she had been up since 6:00 working on this breakfast. She gave each of them a leaf to quiet them up. She then plated the omelet and home fries so they could cool slightly. A quick wash of the strawberries and they complete the plate. Becky can’t stop the butterflies in her stomach when she added the plate to the tray. She quietly padded into their bedroom and pulled the door shut behind her so that her babies wouldn’t crowd Alyssa as she ate.

When she took a moment to stare at her girlfriend, Becky fell in love even further. Alyssa had sprawled out now that Becky had vacated her side of the bed. The younger woman had an arm curled around Becky’s pillow. Her hair has fallen to cover half of her face. A soft snore was escaping her lips as Becky took in the sight of her girlfriend sleeping away in an over-sized FCKC shirt and an old pair of USWNT shorts. The defender put the tray atop their dresser, her eyes sweeping across the pictures of the two that spanned their relationship. She then turned and sat on the edge of the bed, sweeping the goalkeeper’s hair from her face. Becky placed a kiss on Alyssa’s forehead, causing her eyes to flutter open.

“Morning Lys. Sleep well hun?” Becky’s voice was soft as Alyssa fought to convince her eyes to stay open. The bed was warm and the room was still dark – inviting her back to the realm of dreams. 

“Mmm very....” She yawned “very well. I always do when I get to hold you.” The younger woman’s voice was scratchy from sleep. Her response drew a smile onto Becky’s face.

“I’m glad to hear it. I have a surprise for you – I made you breakfast.”

“Sweetheart you shouldn’t have.” The goalkeeper leaned up and surprised Becky with a tender kiss. Even after all this time together the two still get butterflies. The kiss is slow and languid, only ended when Alyssa pulled away. “You mentioned breakfast?”

“Yes, I did.” Becky, still breathless from the kiss, slid off the bed and grabbed the tray from the dresser. A jerk of her head had Alyssa sit up and smooth out the comforter over her legs. Becky placed the tray over Alyssa’s thighs before sitting next to her. The tray had Alyssa’s plate of food, glasses of orange juice and water, the morning crossword with a pen, and a vase of daffodils. All the goalkeeper’s favorite things.

“Sweetheart this is absolutely perfect. You really shouldn’t have. Thank you.” Alyssa couldn’t help but kiss her girlfriend again. The thoughtfulness put into this seemingly simple gesture is one of the many reasons Alyssa loves Becky. Everything she does has a meaning behind it – even if Alyssa didn’t always spot it right away. Once they separated Alyssa dug in. She also loves Becky’s cooking. Every bite filled her mouth with delicious flavors and subsequent happiness. The goalkeeper stole kisses in-between bites. She soaked in every moment of just the two of them.

Halfway through her scrumptious breakfast Alyssa picked up the pen and morning crossword. Over the off-seasons and numerous camps together it had become a tradition for the two women to find each other in the early morning and work on the daily crossword. It was their moment of solitude and peace before the start of the hectic day. Becky laid her head upon Alyssa’s shoulder once she saw her plan.

“Just the local crossword today honey?”

“Yeah, our copy of the Times hadn’t been delivered by the time I finished cooking. We can always do it tonight.” Becky honestly hadn’t checked to see if the Times had been delivered. But what god would judge her for a white lie so her plan could work.

“Oh, that sounds nice.” Alyssa pressed a kiss to Becky’s head. ‘One down.”

The two worked their way through the crossword. Alyssa was slowly finishing her breakfast in-between clues. The pair had become stumped by a clue, 23 across, that spanned the entire length of the crossword. It was one of the few times Becky saw her girlfriend become frustrated. In a way, it was cute. The way her brow furrowed when she was pondering the clue, the way Alyssa chewed slightly on the top of the pen before filling in answers, the little grunts when an answer she thought of didn’t line up. All Becky could do was watch her, wanting to remember every moment.

“Isn’t 13 down misinformed?"

“Oh…yeah. Good one.” Alyssa filled in the squares. Slowly, 23 across filled in. Alyssa stared at it quite intently for a moment. Her brain still wasn’t connecting all the dots.

“This is the hardest damn clue. Who wrote this crossword? It is just a local paper.” The goalkeeper grumbled as she worked. Luckily for Becky, she was so focused on the paper she missed the blush that had flamed across her cheeks. Every square that Alyssa filled in raised Becky’s nerves another notch. She reached gently into her pants pocket, moving slowly so not to make Alyssa aware of her movements. The cats scratching and playing outside the door did not aid her efforts to slow her heartbeats but they did cover the small noise she made. Blue eyes stared at the younger woman as she filled in the last box of the clue. Alyssa slowly read it out loud.

“Will you marry me? Aww look sweetheart someone proposed in the newspaper!” Alyssa glanced up to catch Becky’s eyes on her. Her gaze darted down to the small movement of her girlfriend’s hands. They opened a small box, revealing a large princess cut diamond on a platinum band. On either side of the diamond was a medium sized blue diamond, followed by three small white diamonds.

“Rebecca Elizabeth Sauerbrunn what…”

“I’m the one who wrote the crossword. Alyssa Michele Naeher, will you spend eternity with together with me?” Becky had a large speech planned, but that all went out the window now that she was faced with asking the most important question of her life. The butterflies in her stomach flew into a storm while she waited for an answer. Alyssa stared into Becky’s eyes, seeing only a deep-rooted love and adoration. Alyssa couldn’t be more sure of her answer.

“Yes! Always and forever yes.” Both women blink back tears as they leaned toward each other. Their lips met in a sweet kiss. It was filled with the promise of their future together. They separated when the need for air became too great. Becky wiped away the few tears Alyssa had shed while they tried to catch their breath. Her shaky hands then carefully slid the ring onto Alyssa’s finger. The goalkeeper couldn’t look away. The only thought running through her head was that she was now engaged to Becky. She was going to marry Becky, the love of her life, and proclaim her love for her so that all the world would know. Their lives would be bound together forever.

She looked up to find her grin mirrored on her fiancé’s face. Alyssa couldn’t help but kiss her again. Their lips slid against each other’s in a well-known but still exciting dance. The keeper’s hands wove into Becky’s soft locks, scratching slightly. Becky moaned, granting Alyssa’s tongue the entrance it was seeking. The two were dueling for dominance of the kiss when they heard a pitiful meow. They separated, unable to do anything but laugh at Athena’s timing.

“Should we let them in?”

“No.” Becky replied as she moved the tray onto the floor. Now that Alyssa’s lap was clear, she could crawl on top of it. Her hands wove into the dark locks and pulled Alyssa in for another kiss. “They can wait a little longer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say? I love odd pairings. These two never get enough love. I was sitting at home with kitty cuddles when the inspiration for this one hit. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If anyone wants a second chapter, let me know! As always, please leave kudos and comments - they honestly make my day. If you have any suggestions or thoughts, those are always welcome.  
> -Red


	2. Post Proposal Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After accepting Becky's proposal, Alyssa couldn't be happier. The pair spend the evening together starting to make a game plan for the future.

Alyssa and Becky didn’t emerge from the master bedroom for quite some time, only surfacing when the need for food overcame their desire for each other. Athena and Freyja made sure they pair knew just how upset they were to be locked out of their bedroom for so long. The women found it adorable and offered head scratches for forgiveness before venturing to the kitchen. Alyssa started to dig through the fridge when Becky stopped her.

“Let’s order in. There is that Thai place that delivers.”

“Alright.” Alyssa offered a soft smile and instead pulled out two bottles of blue Gatorade. Becky took that moment to appreciate the fact that her fiancé was wearing only that oversized FCKC shirt. Alyssa turned around and smirked. Becky’s only response was a fierce blush but cocky gaze.

The pair found their way to the living room and sunk next to each other on the couch. Once nestled in the comfort of Alyssa’s arms, Becky brought up the Thai menu online so they could pick their meal. The goalkeeper left the ordering to Becky, choosing to grab the Xbox controller and surf through the TV for something to watch. She settled on Narcos, a show they both knew and loved. Becky placed their order and nestled further, enjoying the way Alyssa’s arms automatically tightened around her.

“So….”

“Yes?” Becky turned up and pressed a kiss to Alyssa’s jawline.

“So, when do we tell the gals?”

“Crap. I completely forgot about them.” To be honest Becky had forgotten about everyone but herself and Alyssa once Alyssa had said yes. No one else seemed to matter in those next few hours. Her honesty made the goalkeeper laugh. It took her a good minute to calm down.

“As did I until I started scrolling through my phone and saw I had a text from Chris. We have to figure out how to tell them.”

“Well, forget phone calls. They take too long and then we have to pick who to call first and that means hurt feelings which I do not feel like dealing with today.” Becky was firm in her refusal. She remembered all too well the fiasco that occurred when Sydney got married out of the blue and didn’t tell Alex immediately.

“Alright, phone calls are out. What about a group text?”

“That will be followed by a swarm of phone calls. No one…knew I was planning on proposing besides your twin and your folks. She is the one who helped me pick out the ring.”

“Ugh your right…wait you kept this a secret for how long with Amanda talk to? Why did you tell my folks?”

“Yeah I needed Amanda to help pick out the ring and…well I asked for folks for permission to propose.”

“You did what? Becky that is…. incredibly sweet.” Alyssa tilted her head so that she could show her appreciation of the defender’s thoughtfulness with a kiss. “How did I not notice you doing all of that?” Alyssa thought beforehand her and Amanda were extremely close. They spoke multiple times a week. Her twin powers apparently had let her down on this one. She stared at her new ring as it reflected the sunlight, the diamonds sparkling brightly. She cannot deny that they did a kick ass job. The ring was perfect for her.

“Because we have been playing a crap ton of soccer and you have been training night and day to make sure you keep that number one keeper spot. We are also trying to maintain a relationship while living in two different cities and traveling constantly.”

“Well when you put it that way…” Alyssa dropped a kiss on Becky’s forehead. “I have been busy.”

“Mmhmm. Now seriously how are we going to tell the gals?”

“Well we are in camp next week. Let’s just tell them then, in person. That way no one can get mad they weren’t told first.”

“That is a brilliant idea babe. Let’s do it. Spend this week having our own little secret before the team knows. We can tell our family and that is it.”

“Deal. Let’s make phone calls after food.” Alyssa’s stomach growled loudly as she spoke.

“Done. You know people will want to talk for a while and food is on its way now.” Their deal was sealed with a slow kiss. They then started the episode of Narcos, Athena joining them by making herself comfortable on Becky’s lap while Freyja laid down on the armrest next to Alyssa. Their own small family. The two women pet the kitties and watch TV until the food arrives. 

Alyssa volunteered Becky to grab the food when the doorbell rang as she was wearing short shorts and one of Alyssa’s old training tops compared to Alyssa’s shirt only attire. The defender rose and answered the doorbell to find a teenage boy standing there with food in hand. She took the food and handed him a 20 for a tip before quickly closing the door. Becky returned to the couch and Alyssa pulled the coffee table over to them. They laid out their food across the table to share with other and dug in. Athena and Freyja would not leave them alone to eat. The two were very loud with their begging and constantly jumped onto the table. Annoyed, the older woman put a small amount of chicken and some curry on a plate for each of them to get the cats to leave them alone long enough to eat.

When all bellies were full and mouths soothed somewhat (they always went with the spicy options), Alyssa gathered up the trash and took it to the kitchen. She buried it in the trash and made sure the lid was on tight. Freyja got adventurous at times and went dumpster diving. On her return to the living room she stopped dead in her tracks. Becky wasn’t doing anything special, just sitting on the couch with her legs splayed out beside her. But the way the afternoon sun was striking her brought out the gold in her hair and the blue in her eyes really popped off the chocolate colored sofa. Alyssa was dumbstruck as she was overcome with love for the woman she chose to spend the rest of her life with. It took her a full minute to gather herself enough and return to Becky on the couch. Luckily the defender was so engrossed in the end of the current Narcos episode she didn’t notice.

Alyssa sat on the far end of the couch and dug out her phone. She didn’t want to wait a second longer to call her twin. She checked the time and saw that her sister was probably on her way home from work once she factored in the time change. Alyssa dialed her sister and waited. She had a suspicion that Amanda was waiting for this phone call.

“Hey twin! What’s up?” Amanda immediately answered the call when she saw who it was. Hopefully Becky’s plan went off without a hitch.

“Guess what Amanda? I’m engaged!” Normally a quiet and reserved person, Alyssa couldn’t contain her excitement at finally being able to tell someone how happy she was.

“What?? So, Becky finally proposed! Good! Congratulations twin!”

“Thanks Amanda. I heard you helped.”

“Yeah well I had to make sure she got a ring you liked! You know I always have your back! Did she propose through the crossword like she planned?”

“She sure did. She made me breakfast in bed and brought it all in with the crossword. We did it during breakfast and when we solved the clue I told her how cute it was that someone proposed in the paper. I looked up and she was holding the ring in her and said that it was her and asked me to spend eternity with her and of course I said yes!”

“Wow twin. That is the most I have heard you say in one breath. Ooh don’t huff you know I am just teasing you. I am very happy for you sis, I know that Becky brings a lot of joy and stability into your life. You two go enjoy the rest of your day and call me when you two are ready to start wedding planning.”

“Will do twin. Thanks. Love you.”

“Love you too twin.” 

When the pair is disconnected, Alyssa was still grinning. Speaking with Amanda always brought a smile to her face. The two understood each other on a deep level. Becky couldn’t look away from Alyssa as she dug in her pocket for her own phone.

“What?”

“You’re just so happy. Can’t I appreciate that?”

Alyssa chuckled “Yeah I guess since you are the one who made me this happy.” The two women leaned in to share a kiss until Athena protested from Becky’s lap. She did not appreciate being squished by her parents, no matter the cause.

Both women laughed as they reached for their phones to call the rest of their family. Becky was lucky and caught her older brothers at her parent’s house. They put her on speaker so she could tell all of them at once. Though she couldn’t see it, she could hear all the back-slapping from the boys among the congratulations they told her. Her mom Jane made sure to make Becky swear that she would tell her the moment they started planning a thing so that she could help. The defender promised to put her in touch with Amanda and Donna when the time came and that they wouldn’t do a thing without consulting the trio. 

Alyssa’s parents had her younger sister Abigail over so that they could see their grand-baby. She was put on speaker as well to share the good news. Abigail squealed with excitement – there was a second Naeher wedding to plan! The goalkeeper quietly accepted the congratulations of her parents and let Abigail talk her ear off for a good 15 minutes. Donna told Alyssa that she would get in touch with Amanda and Jane to coordinate wedding planning so that Becky and herself could focus on the upcoming training camp. Alyssa just chuckled as they said their goodbyes and hung up. Both women tried to speak at the same time resulting in a round of laughter from them both. Alyssa calmed herself then gestured at Becky to speak first. 

“Momma offered to help plan the wedding.”

“As did Mom and Amanda. Mom even said she would get with them and get the ball rolling while we are in camp.”

“We will have to watch out or we will have an entire wedding planned before we can even pick a date!” Becky was only half kidding.

“Very true sweetheart. But let them have their fun until we get out of camp. That way we can just enjoy being engaged for a little while without the stress of wedding planning.”

“Deal.” The pair sealed the pact with a sweet kiss before settling into the couch. Becky wrapped her arms around Alyssa as she leaned back between her legs so her back was against Becky’s front. Athena had hopped down when Abigail had squealed – she did not appreciate loud noises in any form or fashion. They continued to watch Narcos, basking in the warmth of each other and the promise that the future holds. It was the calm before the storm of national team camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You asked and I was inspired! Here is your second chapter. There is definitely room for a third, if not more if the demand is there. I loved writing this and I sincerely hope you all enjoy it. As always please leave kudos and comments, they make my dark world a little bit brighter.  
> -Red


	3. Telling the Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becky and Alyssa fly into camp and tell the team about their engagement. How will the team take it? Will they be angry that they weren't told for so long or will they be happy for the couple?

The pair spent a few days relaxing and packing at home before flying off to national team camp in L.A. Jill had called them all back together to prep for a set of friendlies against Ireland before NWSL preseason truly got underway. The gals were excited to be getting back together and playing again but at the same time slightly weary of the constant conflicting demands of the two teams. But they made the best of it when they were together. Alyssa had upgraded their seats to business class so they would have more leg room on the flight. Once they had boarded and stored their overhead bags the newly engaged couple got comfy. Becky dug the ever-present book out of her bag while Alyssa popped in her headphones to listen to her new podcast. It was routine and that was comforting.

Alyssa dozed off on Becky’s shoulder during the flight, not that Becky minded in the least. Alyssa had been working hard to earn that number 1 keeper spot now that Hope was out of the picture. She slid her shoulder a little further up so the goalkeeper wouldn’t have a crick in her neck when she woke up and went back to the book Alyssa bought her for the flight. It was a sweet tradition that had started when they were always flying back and forth to see each other – Alyssa would buy her a book for each plane ride so she would always have something new to read. This one had been given to her once they cleared security. It was called Behold the Dreamers and had Becky wrapped up in the tale of a Cameroonian family trying to make a life in Harlem.

The pilot came over the loudspeaker and told the passengers that they would be landing soon so everyone needed to buckle in. Becky marked her spot and tucker her book away before turning to Alyssa. She cupped the goalkeeper’s cheek and stroked it softly while slowly removing the headphones from Alyssa’s ears.

“Alyssa love it’s time to wake up. We are landing in L.A. soon.” Green eyes flickered open and Becky smiled.

“Alright…” Alyssa yawned and stretched in her seat, trying to work some of the tightness out of her muscles. The pair buckled in and watched the plane descend on the city. Some years it felt like their home away from home with how often the national team seemed to train and play there. 

They landed without any issues and made their way to baggage claim. They ran into Tobin and Christen who had hopped on a quick flight down from Portland. Hugs were exchanged and they began to catch up on all things non-soccer while they waited. It was killing the pair to not tell their close friends, but the agreed they would tell everyone at dinner that night. Christen raised an eyebrow and nudged Tobin with her hip when she picked up on the pair’s nerves. Her girlfriend only shook her head, knowing if it was serious the pair would have told them already. Christen doesn’t believe her but lets them slide for now. When they weren’t in public she made the decision that she would question them further.

All four grabbed their luggage and made their way to the buses. They meet with Mal, Kelley, and Morgan Brian. The five stored their luggage and boarded the bus. The elders pestered Mal with questions about college, making her poor ears red. Christen had to sass Kelley a time or two for teasing her baby girl. The smirk Mal gave Kelley made the others laugh. She is a momma’s girl and knows it, especially when it works to her advantage. The college freshman snuggled back into Christen’s arms and stuck her tongue out at Kelley go gladly returned the gesture.

Other teammates of theirs boarded the bus as they arrived and took their preferred seats. Becky lit up when she spotted her and Alyssa’s team child board the bus. Andi had to catch a flight after her morning class. She had texted Becky and Alyssa before her plane took off so they would know she was safe. They both stood up and hugged the smiling young woman tight when they saw her. She had taken to them during her first camp and the women mutually decided to adopt her before anyone else on the team could. Now they got updates every other day about how classes were going and had weekend Skype sessions scheduled so they could all have a family moment. Andi cherished the contact, having missed her second set of parents. Alyssa pulled away first but Becky held on a moment longer. Andi’s smile turned into a grin when her team mom finally let her go. The two sat down in their seats and began to catch up. Alyssa leaned over the aisle and listened in, chiming in with a comment now and again. The bus was filled with exuberant voices and laughter – the gals were back together again.

The bus took the team to the hotel and the women piled off the bus and grabbed their bags. In groups of three and four they made their way to the hotel lobby. Dawn was there to hand out room assignments as always. Becky and Alyssa were roomed together with Andi across the hall with them in with sweet baby Rose. U.S. soccer agreed that couples could room together if it didn’t affect their performance on the field – none of the couples on the team had let it. The women had no complaints and got Andi up to her room. They also did their best to pair college kids together so that they could work on school work with less distractions.

They stepped off the elevator and the family shared one last hug in the hallway between their rooms. When the family separated, all were smiling. They were together again. Becky and Alyssa watched Andi head into her room before going into their own. The women threw their bags onto the far bed and began to unpack the essentials. They had been sharing hotel rooms for some time now and each learned the other’s habits and likes. It was a quiet harmony. Alyssa dug into her carry on and pulled out the box that had her engagement ring in it. She slipped it back on her hand and admired the way the lamp’s light caught the diamonds. Becky smiled when she caught Alyssa admiring the ring.

“It didn’t shrink, did it?” Becky leaned over to examine the ring.

“No, it didn’t and you know it. Can’t I just admire my woman’s good taste?”

“Of course, you can.” Becky popped her head up and captured Alyssa’s lips in a kiss. The goalkeeper responded and pulled Becky onto her lap while opening her mouth to the kiss. It was slow and wonderful as their tongues danced. Before things could get too heavy Becky pulled away. “You know we have dinner soon and I can’t keep this from Andi much longer.” Alyssa sighed but knew she was right.

“I know sweetheart. I don’t like hiding it either. Want to watch a show before we go down to dinner?”

“That sounds perfect. Let’s see what’s on TV.” Becky slid off Alyssa’s lap and went around to the other side of the bed to get comfy. Alyssa swung around and opened her arms for her lady to snuggle into. She grabbed the remote off the side table and the pair watched an episode and a half of Law and Order SVU. Becky was determined to solve the mystery before the detectives did, plot twists be damned. Alyssa did her best to not snicker at the defender’s antics but she found them adorable. Becky felt the snickers and lightly hit her fiancé’s chest.

“Don’t laugh at me! This one was really hard!”

“I wasn’t laughing at you babe just the outrageous plot twist that stalled you is all.”

“Uh huh…you are lucky you are cute.” Becky grumbled good naturedly and sat up on the bed after glancing at her phone. “We should head down to dinner. Get there first and all.”

“Right.” Alyssa stretched and stood up to slip on her sandals. The women linked hands and made their way out of their room and down to dinner. The elevator ride was quiet, both trying to work up the mental strength to withstand the onslaught of questions that they were about to receive.

Alyssa squeezed Becky’s hand as they walked into dinner and took their usual seats after filling their plates. Their table filled up with Andi, Mal, Tobin, Christen, Amy, and Crystal. Alyssa’s eyes darted around to the other tables, wanting everyone to sit down and get some food in them before they made their announcement. Becky placed her hand on Alyssa’s thigh, trying to calm the nervous woman. Christen’s quick eyes didn’t miss any of this and the forward was starting to become very concerned for her friends. She nudged Tobin and nodded to the pair. Again, Tobin was oblivious and shrugged off Christen’s meddling, returning to her dinner.

When it seemed that people had finished and were just chatting rather than eating, Becky squeezed Alyssa’s hand to get her attention. The goalkeeper’s eyes snapped to the calm blue orbs of her love and she gave a small smile. Becky nodded and cleared throat.

“Hey ladies, can we tell you all something?” Everyone at the table looked at her.

“Sure Becky. What’s up?” A-rod replied, cocking her head at her teammate.

“No sorry I mean everyone…we only want to say it once.” Everyone at the table traded worried looks and poor Andi looked terrified. Crystal decided to get everyone’s attention.

“Hey y’all gather round here!! Becks and Lys have some big news and they are only gonna tell it once!” Her voice rang through the dining room and immediately every woman there was intrigued. The two never aired any of their laundry so this has got to be good. There was a large scraping of chairs as everyone hurried to surround the table. The pair felt all eyes on them and became nervous under the intensity of the gazes.

“Well uh…” Alyssa looked up and locked eyes with Andi. She gave the kid a smile to calm her down. She was clinging onto Morgan Brian for dear life. “Becky proposed to me last Saturday and I said yes. So, we are engaged.”

“WHAT?!?!?! MY PARENTS ARE GETTING MARRIED!!!” Andi jumped up and climbed over Christen and Amy to get to her parents. The women grinned and hugged her tight.

“Seriously??? And you didn’t tell me! I was in town!” Amy stared at Becky, unable to believe she wasn’t asked for help.

“Hey! I am Lys’s teammate and she didn’t tell me either! Oh my gosh, is this why you two were acting so weird earlier! You were hiding it!” Christen stared at Alyssa as she connected the dots.

“Woah woah woah guys calm down one question at a time!” Becky laughed and shifted Andi off her lap so she could scoot closer to Alyssa, leaning into her shoulder. Andi whined but sat on the space in-between Becky’s and Amy’s chairs.

“Alright alright bitches I am first.” Syd barged her way to the table and leaned over the edge so she could get as close to the couple as possible. “Let me see that rock!!” The other ladies all chimed in their demand to see the ring. Alyssa pulled her hand out from under the table and extended it. It garnered several oohs and ahhs from all the ladies.

“Damn Becks how did you find this? This is damn fine.” Kelley stated what many others were thinking as she saw the way the light caught the stones and the whole ring lit up.

“I went ring shopping with Amanda and had it custom made.” Becky stated proudly.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU ASK ME TO GO!!!!” Andi huffed from next to the defender. Becky leaned away from her in an attempt to not lose complete hearing in her ear. Amy tried to calm the young one down as best she could.

‘Because Andi I didn’t think you would be able to keep it a secret. I know all about your late-night chats with Alyssa. I couldn’t risk letting it slip.” Becky gazed at Andi over her glasses. Alyssa’s phone would blow up at all hours of the night when Andi couldn’t sleep or was up late studying. The goalkeeper kept it on the lowest vibration setting and the dimmest setting for the screen to try to keep it from disturbing her lady. That didn’t stop Becky from noticing how often Alyssa turned over and that it corresponded to her discussing Andi the following morning over breakfast.

“Well…yeah… but I should have been told!” The young woman pouted and stared at them both. Becky and Alyssa both chuckled at her antics and Becky rubbed her hair good naturedly.

“Alright gal family drama aside how did you do it? Details! Don’t leave out anything!” Crystal stated as the other girls agreed with a chorus of yeahs. Alyssa sat back in her chair and listened to Becky tell the story that began with that morning. The story took quite a while given that she was interrupted by a question every few moments from one of the gals. When it came time to filling in the crossword she nudged Alyssa’s arm with her head.

“You take over from here Lys. It is your reaction they all want to hear.”

“Alright so I began to fill in the crossword, working my way through the clues as I always due. But I couldn’t solve this one clue that spanned the entire puzzle. All the clue said was the answer is yes. Which was no help at all for a clue that long.”

“Wait the genius Alyssa who does the NYT crossword for fun the mornings before camp couldn’t even fathom what that clue would be?” Julie sat back in her chair, in shock at her teammate. Kelley and Allie Long snickered at Alyssa’s indigent expression.

“Anyway, I worked my way around it filling in clues. Honestly, I got so lost in it that I didn’t notice Becky probably growing more nervous by the second.”

“Ugh typical Alyssa self-absorbed.” Christen said playfully and rolled her eyes. She had to duck when Alyssa threw a piece of fruit at her. “Lys I was just kidding!”

“You better be Chris. So, I read the clue out loud and told Becky how cute it was that someone had proposed in the newspaper and when I looked up she had the ring in her hand and told me that she was the one who proposed in it. She asked again and I said yes.”

“AWWWW!!!” The gals chorused. They all loved a good romance story.

“Thanks, Sauerbrunn, now you have made it that much harder for a person to propose.” Ash glared Becky, already starting to rework her entire plan she had been building for 6 months.”  
“Damn right she did.” Ali grinned at the younger keeper. “You found a good one Lys. I’m a little jealous.”

“Me too girl! Tobs you better step your game up girlfriend.” Christen high-fived Ali while Ashlyn and Tobin sunk into their chairs. Becky and Alyssa couldn’t help but laugh. Those two were whipped and boy did they just realize how tightly they were wound around their girlfriend’s fingers.

“Ooh I have a question. When is the wedding?” Lynn popped up from the far end of the table.

“Yeah! Have you set a date yet?” Pinoe went from laughing at Ash to looking at the couple.

“Oh! I call dibs on being whoever the third most important person in the wedding is!” Andi piped up.

“Woah now slow down. We haven’t set a date yet. Our moms and Amanda are starting to do some wedding planning stuff but we wanted to get through this camp and see how the season goes before setting anything firm.” Alyssa answered the first two questions.

“Andi, you will be someone important in the wedding. I will make sure of it.” Becky reassured her child and got a hug in return.

“Hey! Don’t forget your teammates!” Julie, Christen and Amy chimed in.

“We won’t. We will keep you all updated on what happens when it happens.” Alyssa reassured them.

“Come on girls let them go. They have put up with us hounding them long enough and we will have plenty of time later to do it.” Carli urged the women to get up and leave the women alone. Alyssa alone had said more in the past 45 minutes than she had in some previous camps combined.

Becky smiled gratefully at her fellow captain and stood up, helping Alyssa to her feet. The two started to go to the elevator, arms around each other and heads leaning together. Andi started to clamber down off Amy’s lap to follow them but the forward wrapped around her waist and pulled her down.

“Don’t even think about it kiddo. Your parents need some alone time and I bet you have homework to finish. Go back to your room with Rose and work on it. Meet them at breakfast tomorrow.” Amy urged the college kid who looked crestfallen.

“Come on! We can FaceTime Wilma!” Rose bounced over to Andi and pulled her up, dragging her along to the elevators. Becky and Alyssa had already taken one up and had went into their room.  
Becky pulled the tall woman to her in a warm hug as soon as the door to the room had swung shut. Alyssa sighed into the blonde locks she loved to card her hands through and inhaled the comforting scent of her shampoo. Becky held on as she felt the tension drain from the younger woman’s body.

“That’s it Lys. We are back in our room now just you and me and away from all of those prying eyes.” Alyssa nodded into her hair and hung on a moment longer before pulling back.

She smiled at Becky and leaned down to give her a kiss. Becky eagerly returned the kiss and ran her hands up Alyssa’s back to tangle in her hair. The goalkeeper’s hands drifted down to her waist and settled on her hips. When they separated, Alyssa kissed her nose.

“Thank you. For everything. Kriegs and Chris were right. You are definitely someone I am blessed to have in my life.” Alyssa stared down into bright blue orbs and grinned widely. She felt truly blessed by God to have found a woman like Becky to spend the rest of her life with.

“Well you are most welcome honey. For the record, I consider myself profoundly lucky to have you in my life as well. You’re a keeper.” Becky grinned when she made Alyssa chuckle with the old pun.  
“I am indeed a keeper. That is my profession, at least for the next few years.” Alyssa nodded in affirmation of Becky’s statement.

“Yes. You are also my keeper. That I refuse to share tonight.” Becky stepped closer and leaned her head up to stare into those green swirling eyes.

“I am yours and only yours tonight.” Alyssa assured her lover and sealed her promise with a kiss. The two were well occupied until their alarms went off for camp to begin the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! FYI Andi never tore her ACL in my story and Amy is already back from her pregnancy. I am not sticking to any particular roster or any real set of games for my time-line, but rather making it up as I go along. It is set in 2017 after the Olympic fiasco. This ended up being a lot longer than I originally thought it would be (this chapter is over 3000 words) but once I started writing I got in a groove and let the story flow. I overall am pleased with how this chapter went out. I think I have an idea for where to go next, but nothing is set in stone. Thank you all for your continued support of this story - it has been a real pleasure to write. As always, leave your comments and kudos as they make my dark world a little brighter.  
> -Red  
> (Also I am heartbroken for A-rod and Johanna Lohman who tore their ACLs opening weekend. Hopefully we see them bounce back stronger than ever next year. And Syd scored in her first game back! That momma still has it!)


	4. The Ireland Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending another camp with the USWNT, Becky and Alyssa play against the Ireland National Team. Will Jill be a competent coach? How does the team line up? Has Ireland advanced their game enough to challenge the USWNT? This is my first time writing a game, so let's see how it goes!

Becky weaved her way through the tunnel to where Alyssa was waiting to walk out behind Carli. She tapped the goalkeeper’s shoulder, causing her to swing around in surprise.

“What are you doing up here? You are at least two people back.” The goalkeeper playfully scolded her woman, glancing up and down the hallway for a match official.

“Oh, haha you know we don’t walk out for another few minutes.” Becky rolled her eyes but smiled. Her girlfriend being playful was a good sign – she wasn’t too nervous about the match. Ireland was an inventive team and would keep them on their toes.

“True but I don’t want to see by best center-back get in trouble. Not to mention our co-captain.” Alyssa winked at Becky before drawing her into a hug. The blonde always brought out the playful side of her, drew her out of her self-made shell. The scent of sunscreen mixed with Becky’s body wash flooded her nose, drawing a smile on her face. When they pulled apart, Becky leaned up and gave her goalkeeper a gentle kiss.

“Kick ass and take names today. Show Jill why you are the best. Even with this weird 3 back formation.” 

“Yes captain. Don’t leave me out to dry.”

“No promises.” Becky winked and headed back to her place in line. Alyssa could only shake her head as she turned to face the tunnel opening. The refs were walking up and the kids who were escorting them out lined up in the tunnel. It was game time.

The pre-game ceremonies took place and Carli went to the center circle as captain for the coin toss. When she returned, the midfielder informed them that they would be attacking right to left first and had kick off the second half. Jill gave some final pregame speech that honestly everyone only half listened to before they took their places on the field.

Alyssa huddled the defense together and they went over their last-minute reminders for the game today. Casey Short was on the left wing, so no major worries there as long as she didn’t drift up too far. Long was the lynchpin again so Alyssa warned her not to get caught ball watching or they would all be punished. Becky was on the right wing. Long warned her not to drift up to far. It took everything in Becky not to roll her eyes. She knew how to play on the wing even if it wasn’t her best position. Deep down she knew Long was right though. Speed was the one flaw in her game, so she had to make sure she read it well today. The four women all nodded at each other and clasped hands before taking spots on the field. The ref blew his whistle and the game began.

It started as most friendlies do, both teams testing the waters and trying to figure each other out. The three back held strong against any probing from the Irish offense and Alyssa easily collected any long balls they sent into her penalty box. The US midfield was having trouble generating any decent attacks but that has been their problem since Cheney retired. Only time would allow them to figure it out.

Press dropped back from her forward roll after 30 minutes of frustration and began playing as deep playmaker, allowing Carli to shift up top. The forward’s technical ability allowed her to get out of some tight spots and play a beautiful through ball to Alex. She outpaced Ireland’s backline and took a shot that the Irish goalkeeper barely got a hand on. Not their best work, but at least they were starting to generate some offensive chances.

The teams went in at half-time scoreless, much to the frustration of the USWNT. They are better than their performance showed and they knew it. Jill tried to rouse them all with a speech about pushing forward and attacking more. The goalkeeper kept her face impassive but inside she was fuming. Sure, let’s throw everyone forward and leave me out to dry. That always works. Becky caught her eye and barely shook her head. She wouldn’t do that to her goalkeeper, fiancé or not.

When the second half started, Carli and Christen maintained their switched roles. Sammy Mewis was in as a defensive mid and set piece target, with Andi getting some minutes as the box-to-box workhorse mid. The trio in the midfield began to click after 15 minutes in the half and the offense was raring to go. Dunn and Tobin made strafing runs down the flanks and Christen fed them gorgeous balls. They played them on to Alex, Carli, and whoever else was crashing the box. It worked. The goals started flowing in, first from Alex, then Christen and Sammy in a span of 20 minutes. The crowd went nuts – this was the USWNT they expected to see play and dominate.

Ireland had few chances, but they made the best of them. They found space behind Allie and Becky, forcing Alyssa off her line to clear the danger. She handled it well, clearing the ball upfield each time. Ireland’s other main threat was long throw ins. Alyssa was forced numerous times in the last 10 minutes to rise above the jumping heads and punch balls clear to danger. There was a moment of panic when a poor clearance from Long gave the ball straight to O’Sullivan, but Andi made a spot-on slide tackle and negated the danger.

The USWNT held on for 3 minutes of stoppage time and secured a 3-0 win over Ireland. The moment the whistle blew Alyssa was jogging out of her box to congratulate her defense on another clean sheet. Allie accepted her hug and then bent down to strip off her shin guards.

“Well, that wasn’t too bad.”

“Yeah you aren’t a half bad center back when you stay back.” Alyssa agreed, taking off her gloves.

“Hey! I am used to being a midfielder. It is where I belong.” Allie grumbled good naturedly.

“I know I was teasing chill out.” Alyssa retorted while tucking her gloves in the back of her shorts. Allie just laughs it off as Becky and Casey make their way over. Alyssa and Casey share a brief hug and swap congrats about the clean sheet. When they separate Becky immediately hugs Alyssa. The goalkeeper returns the gesture and kisses her softly.

“We won. You got a clean sheet.” Becky grins up at her goalkeeper, so proud.

“We got a clean sheet. This backline held it together.” The younger woman corrected her, returning her grin. “You aren’t a bad right back.”

“Oh, shush you. Don’t encourage this.” Becky swatted her arm while Casey and Allie sniggered. ‘And what do you two find so dang funny?”

“You two.” Casey replied. “You are already the old married couple.”

“Take it back!” Becky threatened them, her voice rising an octave.

“Or what?” Casey taunted, raising her eyebrows. Becky goes to reply but Alyssa stops her. She wraps firmly around her blonde defender and rests her head on her shoulders. All the while shooting her infamous death glare at the pair. Becky glanced up, spotted the look, and leveled a smirk at the defensive pair.

“Wait and see. Wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for you.”

“Uhh…Casey? Let’s go find Harry.” Allie shot Casey a clear ‘oh shit’ look.

“She’s probably with Christen. Julie might know where they are.” The fullback pulled Long to her feet and the pair scrambled off. Becky burst out laughing at their scared expressions. She reached up and cupped Alyssa’s cheek, pulling it down so she could kiss it.

“You were perfect as always. Their faces were priceless.”

“I live to serve sweetheart. Let’s go shake hands.” The goalkeeper squeezed her waist before letting go. 

They loosely linked hands and went to find their teammates and shake hands with Ireland. Good spirits permeated the atmosphere in the arena. All of the USWNT members were smiling as they shook hands and stretched out before going to the fans. Becky snapped selfies for any who asked while Alyssa signed a few autographs. The goalkeeper never stayed out long, but she also didn’t seem to have as many fans as her more popular teammates. 

The USWNT wandered into the locker room in small groups and they all got clean before making their way to the bus to go back to the hotel. Becky nudged the goalkeeper when she reached their spot in the middle of the bus. Alyssa stood up and made way for her fiancé to take the window seat. Becky sat down with a comfortable exhale and snuggled into the crook of Alyssa’s arm. The younger woman kissed the top of the blonde’s curls then struck up a conversation with Sammy Mewis. Becky dozed on Alyssa’s shoulder, the game catching up to her. 

Upon arrival back at the hotel Alyssa found that Becky was fast asleep. She told Mewis to go on and head out. She gently shook Becky’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head again.  
“Sweetheart we are back at the hotel. Let’s get you inside and find some food.”

“Already?” Becky covered a yawn. “Alright. Food sounds good.” She stretched carefully, mindful not to hit her fiancé. Alyssa got off the bus first and grabbed their game day bags. The goalkeeper followed Becky back inside as fans screamed on either side of the barricade, trying to get their attention. Both women waved to a few and signed one or two items before entering the safety and quietness of the hotel lobby.

“Family dinner?” Andi piped up from behind them. “I am done with my homework and we won! A win-win!”

“Family dinner sounds great kiddo.” Alyssa threw an arm around the young midfielder. “Let’s go upstairs and change then find some place that sounds good.” She wrapped her arm around her love. “A family dinner to cap off a wonderful day.” Becky and Andi snaked their arms around Alyssa’s waist, shoving the bags out of the way. The three women headed, arms all wrapped around each other, headed to the elevator to prep for a nice night out in downtown L.A.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'll be honest, I don't think this chapter was my best. I really wanted to get something out there for you all who have been so loyal to this story thus far. So I want your opinion. I definitely want to do the next chapter about the family dinner. But after that, should I do a second game (as after most USWNT camps they play 2 games) or should I advance the timeline to them going back home and dealing with their family? I want to know what you think. As always, any comments or kudos you leave are greatly appreciated. They make my dark world a little brighter.  
> -Red


	5. Family Dinner in L.A.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a successful game against Ireland, Becky and Alyssa head out to a family dinner with their soccer child Andi. Andi gets hit on by the hostess and endures seemingly endless teasing from her parents. Can she survive their teasing and probing into her love life?

“Mom! Dad! Let’s go!” Andi pounded on the hotel room door. Her soccer parents had gone back to their hotel room to change from their post-game sweats into something a little more appropriate for a dinner on the town. So had Andi, and it had only taken the young midfielder 15 minutes to become presentable. Now 30 minutes had elapsed and still no sign of her folks.

“Your mom is just finding her shoes Andi.” Alyssa called out and stole one last kiss from Becky. The pair had been ready for 20 minutes, but couldn’t resist having a little cuddle time before venturing out into the crowded city. Becky swung up off the bed and fixed her hair in the mirror before gesturing to Alyssa to follow her. Becky grabbed her purse off the counter and the goalkeeper opened the door to reveal a very impatient Andy.

“Jeez and they say my generation is always late. Let’s go people I am hungry.” She grabs their hands and drags them towards the elevator. The two share a look across her head and chuckle at her impatience. One day she will cherish the slow moments in between the busy ones.

When they board the elevator, Alyssa tugs her hand from Andy’s grasp and slides around to stand next to Becky. The blonde gratefully snuggles into the side of her favorite goalkeeper and they watch the numbers count down. Andi taps her foot impatiently against the glass as it seems to take forever to reach the ground floor.

“Andi do you know where we are going to eat?” The blonde questioned the young midfielder as the trio stepped out of the elevator into the hotel lobby. Andi told them that she would pick the place before they separated to change. Alyssa was trusting Becky to guide her along as she was ordering their Lyft from her phone.

“Yeah I made us a reservation at Pistola. Chris said it is the best steakhouse around here and she is like from here so I trust her.” Andi shrugged as they got to the front of the lobby and chose to wait inside.

“Chris does have good taste. It should be good. She manages to find the best hole in the wall places in Chicago.” Alyssa told the pair when she looked up for her phone. “I don’t know how she does it as she always claims she hates going out but her and Jules always have somewhere new for us to try after games.”

“Jules drags her out.” Becky snorts. “Jules says they go explore one part of a city then find a park for Chris to reconnect with nature in.”

“Well someone has to since her and Tobin play on different teams.” Alyssa commented. “Chris gets mopey if she doesn’t get her nature fix and we need her firing on all cylinders if we want to finally win a championship this year.”

“Don’t get to ahead of yourself there, sweetheart. We will have Arod and Syd back next season and we are hungry to reclaim our title.” Becky shot back, smirking at her lover. Alyssa didn’t reply but shook her head as her phone chimed. Their Lyft was here. 

The three women headed out and climbed into the back of the black SUV. Andi gave their address to the driver and they rolled out into the ever-present L.A. traffic. They three made small talk about the match and other things on the way, keeping the mood light and happy though all were growing hungrier with each passing minute. They arrived at Pistola not a moment too soon and clamber out of the car after thanking their driver. Andi lead her folks inside and went up to the hostess’s counter.

“Can I help you?” The young woman glanced up from the computer screen, saw Andi, and gave a warm smile.

“Hi, yeah, we have a reservation under Sullivan for 3.” Andi swallowed past the lump in throat as the cute girl checked her out.

“Let’s see…. you called about 20 minutes ago, right? We have a table ready for you.” The blonde again gave Andi a lingering look before grabbing three menus. “Follow me cutie.” Andi is red as she gestures for Becky and Alyssa to follow here. They hold back their teasing and keep their faces impassive while following the pair, though they don’t miss a thing. The hostess sits them at a corner table, making sure to linger near Andi.

“Your waitress should be here in a moment. Personally though…” She leaned down and opened Andi’s menu, making sure to be right over the young midfielder’s shoulder. “I would recommend the 8 ounce New York Strip medium well. Paired with our corn, it is to die for.” Her breathy voice sends shivers down Andi’s spine.

“Uh…thanks. I’ll think about it.” Andi managed to spit out. The blonde squeezed her shoulder then walks slowly back to the hostess station with an extra swing in her hips. When she was out of earshot, both Becky and Alyssa covered their mouths as they chuckled. It took them a few minutes to recover while Andi looked like wanted to crawl under the table.

“Well someone was certainly interested in you Andi.” Alyssa casually said as she opened her menu.”

“Yeah, are you sure you don’t want us to leave so you two can dine alone.” Becky further ribbed her child, doing her best not to laugh again.

“No! No that isn’t necessary. Please.” Andi quickly answered from behind her menu, too afraid to meet her parents’ eyes.

“Relax Andi we wouldn’t do that to you, would we dear?” Becky lays a hand on Alyssa’s arm.

“Of course not.” The goalkeeper shakes her head. “We have to approve of anyone you date. She doesn’t pass.” She raises her eyebrows when Andi peeks her head around her menu.

“Ok…” She breathed a sigh of relief for the moment and the mood lightens around the table. The three women decide what they want to eat by the time their waiter approached. Luckily for Andi, the middle-aged woman doesn’t hit on her and provide more fodder for her parents. They all place their orders and get water from the waitress.

“So, Andi…” Becky started, relaxing back into her chair.

“Yeah mom?”

“How is your love life? Seeing anyone at Stanford?” Becky was straightforward. She wanted to know if anyone thought they were good enough for her baby girl. 

“Mom! Jeez.” Andi went pink at her question. The brunette wasn’t used to being probed about her love life. The pair didn’t often question her about it when they Skyped – Andi would ‘lose service’ and the call would cut out before she would answer. 

“What? Can’t I want to know if my baby girl is seeing anyone?”

“She won’t let up until you answer.” Alyssa chimed in, her hand finding Becky’s under the table and giving it a tight squeeze. “You might as well save the pain and awkwardness and answer her.”

“Ugh fine… I got asked out by a one of my teammates but I turned her down. She’s nice and all but she isn’t my type.”

“How do you know if you haven’t been on a date with her?” The blonde defender cocked her head and looked at Andi over her glasses.

“Because she wants me to be an experiment, to see if she likes women, and I am not down for that. Sorry, but I know that I want a serious relationship and not to be an experiment for someone. Especially a teammate. Then things could just get weird.” Andi shrugged at the end of her speech and played with her hands.

“That’s very wise Andi. You know what you want. And that’s ok.” Alyssa reassured the youth, sending her a warm smile. “You can wait until you find someone who you think is worth the time and effort.” Becky nodded her head in agreement. Their support and understanding made Andi feel lighter and a smile graced her face.

“Cool. Besides, I don’t have time for dating with soccer, national team stuff, and school.” The midfielder laughed. “I like sleep too much to add anything else.”

“See sweetheart she is already wise beyond her years.” Alyssa told her girlfriend. “She gets it from you.” Becky responded with a gentle kiss until Andi spoke.

“Ugh guys I am still here. It is still gross. Sorry.”

“Just you wait kiddo. Once you find someone you’ll want to kiss them too. And we won’t let you live it down.” The blonde promised the youth. Andi took a long drink of water and tried not to think of the potential torture awaiting her down the road.

Alyssa guides the conversation back to the antics of their national team teammates and the mood stays light. Laughter is heard coming from the table as the elder women recount some of the best pranks by the Irish soul sisters to the young woman. Even they can’t believe everything that HAO and KO got away with.

“Wait. Wait. They got Jill to walk in on Tobin and Christen in the equipment room? How far did they have to run? God are people still doing it in there? Is our gear sanitized before we use it?” Andi gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

“Tobs and Chris ran for 2 days straight and Jill still can’t look them in the eyes. She also knocks before entering any room.” Becky confided in the young woman while Alyssa just laughed along with Andi. They were all wiping tears away when the waitress comes back with their food.

The food is just as delicious as Christen told them it would be. The steaks, all differently cooked, are melting in their mouths, no steak sauce needed. The corn on the cob and baked potatoes are slathered in butter but oh so good. A reward for a game well played they all reasoned. Surely the side salads balanced some of the butter out. Once they had eaten and Alyssa paid, they made their way to the front of the restaurant. The hostess spotted them leaving and made her way out from behind the desk and ran up to Andi.

“Hey Sullivan, wait up! How was the steak?” She put her arm on Andi’s and lead the young midfielder away from the two older women. Andi glanced back at them for help but their faces were impassive – she was on her own.

“It was really good. Totally filled me up. Thanks for recommending it.” Andi answered honestly. The steak was perfect.

“Anytime. Look I have to get back to work but call me if you want to grab coffee or something.” She slipped a folded-up sheet of paper into the front pocket of Andi’s jeans and headed back inside, looking over her shoulder to steal one last glance at the attractive midfielder. Andi stood there, dumbstruck, until the hostess was back inside. Alyssa strolled over to her and threw an arm around her.

“Well, well, well looks like our kid is already a pro at picking up women. What happened to our sweet baby girl?” Andi was red at her teasing but she couldn’t resist. Andi was too cute when she was flustered – it reminded Alyssa of herself at that age.

“I don’t know babe. Getting girls numbers at dinner with her parents. That takes skill.” Becky agreed with Alyssa.

“Guys! Stop it! Let’s just get back to the hotel!” Andi wiggled out of Alyssa’s arms and jogged to the street to hail a cab. Alyssa just shrugged and extended a hand to Becky. The blonde took it gladly and let the goalkeeper lead her to their impatient child. They all clambered into a taxi and got back to the hotel in one piece. Together they made their way inside and the couple walked Andi to her door.

“Thanks for dinner. It was fun, even if all you did was tease me.” Andi told them as she hugged Becky.

“Hey we are your team parents. We are supposed to tease you. Builds up a thick skin for when you have a woman of your own.” Becky told the young woman while squeezing her tight. “Sleep well ok? Don’t let Rose keep you up.

“I won’t. I’ll throw on my headphones if I need to.” Andi promised. The blonde let her go and Alyssa stepped up to give the midfielder a warm hug.

“That’s my kid. We will see you in the morning.”

“If you two aren’t late.” They both raised eyebrows at her and Andi raised her hands in defense. “Hey. Hey. I was kidding. Goodnight.” She yawned then smiled.

“Goodnight Andi.” They replied together and watched her go into her room.

Once they heard the door close and lock the couple went back to their own room and changed into comfy PJs while completing their nighttime routines. Becky snuggled into Alyssa’s arms on the bed nearest the door. The goalkeeper covered them with blankets and turned on the TV so they could find a movie to watch. They settled on Kung Fu Panda – it was light and something they didn’t care if they fell asleep during. Becky was the first to fall asleep, soft snores escaping her lips as drool pooled on Alyssa’s shoulder. The goalkeeper didn’t mind at all. She tilted her head down and gave Becky’s forehead a soft kiss before snuggling down into her pillow and letting herself doze. Today was pretty damn good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I survived my conference and things have started to settle in my personal life. I plan on updating as frequently as I can. I would love to have a set schedule, but with my job and wife's rotating work schedule that won't happen. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed the family dynamic in this chapter - it took my a couple of tries to get it to the point where I was happy with it. Thank you all for sticking through this with me, I will do my best to make it worth your while. As always, your comments are fuel for me to write and greatly help inspire each chapter. Your kudos and comments make my dark world a little brighter.  
> -Red


	6. Travel Day to San Diego

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The USWNT successfully pulled out a win over Ireland in L.A. Now the team headed to San Diego for the second game of the city. Bus ride and coffee heart to hearts ensue and baby Luke makes an appearance.

The team was up early the next morning for a bus drive from L.A. to San Diego for their second game against Ireland. Coffee was in large demand and Becky volunteered to run to the café down the street with Ali and Christen to grab some for the team. The women made their way out into the crisp morning air and started down the sidewalk.

“So…you and Lys really are getting married. Has it sunk in yet?” Kriegs probed Becky. The duo hadn’t been able to talk in any sort of privacy since Becky and Alyssa had shared their good news at camp.  
“No, not yet. I am guessing it will when we get back to KC and start planning the wedding. But until then it still just seems surreal. Things haven’t changed between us. She just has a fancy ring on her finger and I am no longer having to keep secrets.” Becky told the two women, covering a yawn when she was done speaking. That coffee couldn’t come soon enough.

“That makes sense. The first season Tobin and I started dating, the first few months seemed unreal. We were in two different cities, so dates were Skype sessions and such. It could seem like we were just really good friends. Then I would get flowers or something sweet delivered from her and it would be like ‘Oh yeah I have a girlfriend’.” Christen chimed in.

“Same.” Becky agreed with her. Seasons spent apart and only intersecting when you played each other made new relationships difficult to maintain. Everyone had to be invested or it just didn’t work.

“Do you think you and Lys will ever play for the same team? Or Chris will you and Tobin? Honestly, I am looking forward to playing with Ash in Orlando. After playing with her for Washington I had no desire to spend a season apart but we pulled through. Never again though.” Ali asked as she grabbed the door to the café. The smell of coffee beans overwhelms the trio when they walk inside. They hop in line and wait for their turn to order.

“Tobs and I have talked about it, but it is complicated. Rory has let me really step up and lead the team, which has been awesome and we finally have all the pieces in place to make a deep run. Tobin would be great but she doesn’t want to leave Portland like I don’t want to leave Chicago. It’s her team in a way, even if Sinc swore she would never get the captain’s badge again after her ball spiking incident. Thanks Al.” Christen gave Ali a pointed glare and the defender could only shrug sheepishly. “Portland is also loaded with offensive talent so there isn’t really room for me. I could convince Rory I bet to trade for Tobs but I want her to be happy. It is only a few more years relatively speaking so we will make it through.” Christen shrugged and dug the list of orders out of her pocket for the team. They placed their massive order and made sure to place a nice tip in the barista’s jar when his eyes grew wide. Leaning against the counter, both Christen and Ali looked at Becky to answer the question.

“I mean we would love to someday but realistically that won’t happen. Barnie is in fantastic form, I mean I am starting to suspect she has other worldly powers based on how good of shape she is in. Lys couldn’t move to Kansas unless Barnie retires which doesn’t seem to be anytime soon. With Julie and Casey in Chicago, there is no reason for me to be traded to them. Rory drafted and trained Julie and Casey is an Illinois native so there is no reason to swap us. Not to mention I am captain of FCKC and, like you said Chris, that makes it hard to leave. So, we can dream. But no, we make do with FaceTime and short flights. We are lucky enough to play for two teams who are relatively close together. After we retire we will settle down somewhere.” Becky spoke from her heart. There was nothing more in the world she wanted than to play on the same team as Alyssa. But it just doesn’t work out. Goalkeepers have long life spans and once and NWSL team finds a good one, they rarely let them go.

“So…you and I team up and wallow in our misery while Ali gets to live with Ash?” Chris proposed as she picked up the first batch of coffee.

“Deal. Sorry Ali.” Becky shrugged at outside back and grabbed the second set. Ali merely glared at them and grabbed the last batch.

“Don’t hate on me just because Ash and I made it work out. You should have planned better.” She tossed her hair and walked out. Christen and Becky shared a laugh as they followed her. Ali pretended to storm off angrily for a few steps then slowed down for them to catch up. The three women traded a look then more laughter erupted as they made it back to the hotel.

As soon as they walked in the into the hotel lobby they were mobbed by tired soccer players desperate for coffee. Alyssa went behind the three women baring coffee and reached over the blonde’s shoulder, taking her mocha. Becky whipped her head around and was greeted by chapped lips upon her own. She was grinning when Alyssa pulled away and took a sip of her coffee.

“There is my goalkeeper. Are you more awake now?” Becky teased. When she left to get coffee with Chris and Ali, Alyssa was still struggling to get up and dressed.

“Once this coffee hits my system I will be. It is perfect. Thank you.” She took another long drink.

“You’re welcome.” She glanced down and saw that only her coffee remained of her batch. She took it and dumped the carrier in the trash. The women had taken over a front corner of the lobby, their luggage and equipment already being loaded onto the bus for the drive down to San Diego. All they had were their bus bags and they were piled on seats while they waited. Becky slid onto Alyssa’s lap and turned to Julie to catch up.

“So how is your offseason going JJ? Where are you spending it?”

“Ya know, back in New Jersey training with Carli. After her and James whipped me into shape for the World Cup and the Olympics, I figured it was a good idea to keep training. Carli likes it because she has someone else to do drills with. I’ll go back to Arizona at some point and see my folks, but other than that no big plans. I can always help with your wedding!” The blonde perked up as she had the last idea.

“Well if we need any help I promise you will be one of the first we call.” Becky grinned.

“I am going to hold you to it. What about you two? Any big plans before preseason starts?”

“Well we already saw the folks before camp. We might go to Stanford and visit Andi for a weekend. Mainly starting the wedding planning and enjoying living in the same house before Lys moves back to Chicago for the season.”

“Any idea where she wants to live? Chris and I found a great condo in the heart of downtown. I can ask the building manager if there are any other condos open if you two want.”

“She mentioned something about downtown over the holidays now that you all have signed a multi-year lease at Toyota Park. That would be great. I would feel a lot better if she was in a building with someone else from the Red Stars. You know just in case something happens.”

“Oh yeah I get that. If Tobs doesn’t hear from Chris after a couple hours I get a text asking if she is alive.” Becky chuckles at the overprotectiveness of Tobin but deep down know she would do the same.  
“You get what?” Alyssa returned her attention to the woman in her lap and her conversation after Ryan bugged Amy for a snack.

“That your lover girl there wants you to live in a building with other Red Stars so if you get sick or randomly fall asleep or something she has someone to pester.” Julie told Alyssa. The goalkeeper’s eyes grew wide then a grin covered her face as she looked down at her lover.

“Hey, I think that is sweet. I message Barnie if I don’t hear from her.” Alyssa rested her head on Becky’s shoulder. 

“Oh gosh you two are literal goals.” Julie grinned as the two rolled her eyes.

“Yeah ok JJ…oh hey look the bus is here.” The bus had pulled in front of the hotel.

“Finally. Let’s load up.” The other women had noticed as well and everyone stood up and stretched, muscles stretching and bones popping. Bags were gathered and in pairs they made their way to the bus. With the slew of retirements and non-callups, bus seats had switched around some. 

Alyssa made her way to the back of the bus. She took a window seat two up from the back and put her bag down. Andi plopped down next to her excitedly. Becky slid into the seat in front of them and Amy next to her. Becky took baby Luke so Amy could settle Ryan into the seat across from her. Alyssa peaked over the top and grinned at the image of Becky holding a baby. One day, when they were done playing soccer, they could have kids of their own. In this moment, the goalkeeper wanted nothing more than to see Becky holding a little boy or girl of their own.

“Yo ninja dad you ok?”

“Yeah Andi I am more than ok.” She sat back down and dug out her travel essentials. It was only a bus ride so it wouldn’t be long enough to really doze. Becky had gotten her into gaming a little and she had gotten a DS a while ago. Fire Emblem should keep her busy through the trip.

“Alright daddy-o just checking. You zoned out for a moment.” Andi smiled at Alyssa then got into her own bag. She had some reading to get done for classes. What better time than a bus ride to knock out some Jane Austin.

“Ok. I can take Luke back now.” Amy settled into her aisle seat now that Ryan had his iPad out with his Leap-Frog esque games on it and a tumble-safe juice box for the ride. A glance at Becky and she saw that she wasn’t going to get Luke back anytime soon. Becky was crooning softly at him as he played with her pointer finger.

“Do you mind if I hold him a little while longer? He is so strong.” Becky spoke softly. She was enraptured by the small life below her. The defender had seen her fair share of babies on the national team and various club teams but now something seemed different. Maybe it was the new engagement, that her and Lys were going to start a life and possibly a family together very soon. Maybe it was her age and that god damn biological clock ticking loudly in her ear at every family function with their never-ending questions. Whatever it was, Luke made her want a baby and want it now.

“Nope not at all.” Amy grinned at the look on Becky’s face. Lauren’s face had that same look not too long ago and now she was carrying one of her own. The team missed her for sure, but Amy couldn’t be happier for her fellow new kid. No one deserved happiness more than Lauren Holiday. “How are things? Besides the engagement I mean.”

“They’re good. You know that visited family before camp and they are all healthy. Amanda is settling into North Carolina well. She has a gorgeous house – I think Lys is a little jealous of it.”

“Doesn’t she like your house in KC?” Amy questioned.

“I mean she hasn’t complained about it. But it was Barnie’s and mine before Lys and I got together. And Amanda built her own home so it has a certain air of Naeher-ness around it.” Becky confided in her teammate.

“Ah. She wants a house that is yours and hers, not yours and Barnie’s then yours and hers.”

“Exactly. But there is no point in buying one until we are ready to settle down and live in the same state.” Becky shrugged. “Who knows when that will be or where it will be. Kansas, Chicago, North Carolina, I mean we aren’t sure where we want to settle.”

“If you want to follow the trend, apparently Portland is a popular place among women’s soccer players.” Both women laughed at Amy’s statement. Though it was true – there is a high number of retired players who have made their homes in Rose City.

“Yeah so we will address when the time comes. In the mean time we will find her a place to live in Chicago and enjoy the time we have left together. Probably start planning the wedding. At least trying to find a date.”

“A date is a good place to start. But don’t stress about it too much. All comes together even when it seems like it won’t.”

“Alright. You will probably have to remind me a few times between now and the wedding of that.” Becky said. She rocked baby Luke and couldn’t take her eyes off the little guy. He was just so damn cute.

“I will. Promise. Now if you are going to hold the sleeping angel, I am going to go catch up with my fellow New Kid if I can tear her away from Pressy.”

“I will gladly hold the sleeping baby. I will get you if Ryan needs anything.”

“Thanks Becks.” A-rod beamed at her and ventured towards the front of the bus. She hadn’t gotten to talk to Tobin in a while and wanted to take advantage of any time she had.

The rest of the bus ride was mainly uneventful. Alyssa played on her DS until she got stuck then chatted with Carli about the various advantages of playing overseas. The Dash midfielder was thinking about going overseas to Manchester City for the Spring Series. The goalkeeper encouraged her to go. Her time with Turbine Potsdam had challenged her and taken her game to new levels. If the older woman wanted to make it to the World Cup in 2019 and the 2020 Olympics she needed a new edge. Playing soccer overseas just might do that. Christen, who joined them after Tobin was torn away from her by Amy, agreed. She had found her love for soccer again playing with Tyreso. Carli appreciated their honest input and added it to the growing opinions of those players she had talked to who had taken the leap to play overseas. All of them told her to go, as did her gut. She just had to convince her partner it was a good idea. That was going to be a tough battle.

Becky cuddled with baby Luke and kept an eye on Ryan. When Luke got stinky, Becky grabbed the diaper bag and changed him in the bathroom rather than get Amy to do it. She didn’t mind and Amy deserved to have some time to herself without having to worry about her kids. Ryan had clambered over to her when she got back and convinced her to watch Rio. It was still his favorite movie and Becky didn’t have the heart to tell him now. That was how she ended up with Amy’s kids on her lap watching a movie about a bird that she had seen 10 times now. And that was how Alyssa found her when they arrived at their hotel in San Diego.

“Ryan. Hey buddy let’s go find your mom and get you off this bus.” Alyssa had slid her bus bag on her back and offered a hand to the young boy. He stared at it for a moment. “I bet she will let you finish your movie tonight.”

“Ok Aunt Alyssa.” He took her offered hand and climbed down off Becky’s lap. The two made their way off the bus to find Amy. Becky stowed the iPad in the diaper bag and looked down at Luke.

“We should probably follow them huh cutie. I bet your momma is ready to get you back.” Luke cooed up at her and Becky couldn’t help but smile. He was so damn cute. She shouldered both her bag and the diaper bag then climbed down off the bus. She found Alyssa, Amy, and Ryan all inside the lobby.

“There is my baby boy.” Amy proclaimed as she took Luke from her fellow blonde. He cooed at her and laughed, happy to be back with his momma. Becky was a little sad to hand him over but knew she couldn’t keep him forever. “They weren’t any trouble, were they?”

“No, not at all. We only got halfway through Rio, so you and Ry will have to finish it tonight.”

“I think we can do that. Come on Ry, let’s go find our room.” She took the diaper bag from Becky then grabbed Ryan’s hand. Alyssa and Becky watched them go to the elevator. Seeing the sad look on Becky’s face, Alyssa slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. She kissed the top of her head and whispered.

“One day sweetheart.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.” Alyssa affirmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I didn't think I would finish this as fast as I did, but here it is. I know I was going to do the second game, but I got an inspiration for this after watching old Studio 90 (RIP you beautiful series) videos. I also wanted to give you a little insight into some of their friendships with teammates who play for club and country. The Sand Diego game is next I promise. As always, tell me what you think! I love to hear from you. Your comments and kudos make my dark world a little brighter.  
> -Red
> 
> P.S. If you have any ideas for one shots either with Becky and Alyssa or another rare pairing, let me know. I like to write them in-between theses chapters to give my brain a break.


	7. The Second Ireland Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team was in sunny San Diego to play their second game against Ireland. It was the last game of camp, and every play mattered. Alyssa was wondering if she would get playing time. Becky was praying she would get a break. Did they end up getting what they wanted? Did the team preform better than the first game or did Jill's lack of coaching skills do them in?

It was a beautiful day for a game in sunny San Diego. The weather was sunny and a warm 72 degrees. There wasn’t a cloud in sight and the breeze was just enough to keep the fans in the stands cool. Currently, Becky and Alyssa were standing at the top of the left 18-yard box in Qualcomm Stadium, doing their ritualist pregame walk of the field before warm ups began.  
“Be careful on this today. I don’t like the look of this turf.” Alyssa noted the black beady substance underneath the fake grass.

“I always am. I don’t need any torn ligaments, thank you.” Becky squeezed the goalkeeper’s hand. “You just be ready to kiss my turn burn better.”

“I will be.” Alyssa leaned down and gave Becky a short kiss before turning her observations back to the field. Even though she doubted she would be playing, she still liked to get in the mindset. After all, you never know what might happen.

The pair finished their walk and headed back into the tunnel. A few fans already pilfering in to find their seats. The locker room was upbeat and Crystal was busting out her famous dance moves. Julie was attempting to mimic them. The result was laughter all around. The team felt good today. Formation issues aside, they had held their own against Ireland the first game and today should be no different.

Becky and Alyssa went to their lockers and slowly changed into their warm ups. Becky joined Sonnet on the floor with her foam roller to work out some tight spots. What she wouldn’t give for a rest, just a game. Not that it was going to happen any time soon. Alyssa was content to go hang with A-rod and chat while she put braids in the team’s hair. When Becky had finished rolling out, she grabbed the tape from Alyssa’s locker and went to help her goalkeeper tape up her hands for warmups. Across the locker room, Ali was doing the same with Ashlyn. Both keepers’ hands were taped up and kissed before they grabbed their gloves and headed out with Graeme. 

On the pitch, Alyssa made sure to encourage Ash when she could. Ash had done the same for her and it had helped calm her nerves. She was hoping to do the same for the blonde. Ash seemed to like it so Alyssa kept it up. 10 minutes or so later, the field players joined the keepers for warm-ups. They worked through their usual drills and stretches, chatting amongst themselves. The team had been through this hundreds of times. They could drone out the fans and opponents and focus on getting ready for the game. They were clicking today. Passes were flowing, shots were flying past goalkeepers and yet they made some tight saves. This game would be different from the start.

Alyssa and Ashlyn headed into the tunnel together, talking tactics on how to not be surprised by Ireland’s long throw ins. They presented a unique danger in the box. Becky looked at Ali and shook her head.

“Keepers. Why do they always seem to be forgetting about us?” Ali laughed and shook her head along with Becky.

“Who knows. You think we would be used to it by now.” The pair headed into the tunnel.

“True. True. So that means whenever Jill calls up a baby keeper and she dates someone on this team or her club team, we have to warn her this is completely normal.” 

“Yup. It’s only fair. No reason for them to freak out like we did.” The pair’s laughter echoed in the tunnel. Andi spun around to see what had her mom laughing. That only made the pair laugh harder at her confused expression.

“Parents. Weird.” She muttered.

“Yup.” Mal and Sonnett and agreed.

Once in the locker room clothing was stripped and uniforms tugged on. Alyssa was unsurprised to see the penny in her locker. Jill had told them they would still be rotating games. And Alyssa didn’t blame her. As much as she wanted playing time, there was no reason for her to play every game. Otherwise the team could end up in a similar situation they had with Hope. One keeper with a lot of caps, and a sprinkling divided among the rest. It just wasn’t smart. She pulled it on and tucked her gloves into the back of shorts. It would be nice to watch this game. The goalkeeper didn’t complain when she got to watch Becky play live and not against her club team. Becky wished there was a penny in her jersey. Alas, there was not. So, she pulled on the white jersey and mentally prepped herself to go another 90 minutes as an outside back in a three-back formation.

Jill joined the team and went to her whiteboard. Sure enough, they were playing another three back with Ali Long as the center. It took everything in Becky not to groan. Why was she being tortured this way? She was not a winger. Alyssa placed a supportive hand on Becky’s back and tried to convey strength to the center-back. She could do this, even if she didn’t want to. The midfield seemed to be settled on Carli, Andi, Sammy Mewis. The three worked well together and were starting to develop some semblance of chemistry. Mal and Crystal were on the wings. Alex and Lynn were up top. Only Tobin and Christen were changed from the first game. So much for rotation.

They all did their best to pay attention to Jill and her speech then prepped to line up in the tunnel. Alyssa and Ali escorted their women to the line and shared a kiss before going to the bench with the rest of the subs.

“Good luck today. You got this.” Ali whispered in Ash’s ear.

“You can do this sweetheart. I believe in you. Go kick ass Link.” Alyssa murmured for Becky alone to hear, making her blush. Alyssa had insisted on calling Becky Link after discovering the forward’s love of all things Legend of Zelda. When asked why not Zelda, the woman had responded that Becky didn’t need saving and would damn near save herself by the time any help arrived. With that logic, Becky couldn’t say no. Another quick kiss and they headed to the bench to wait. Smiles graced both Ashlyn’s and Becky’s faces.

The pre-game ceremony came and went without any hiccups. The team huddled around Jill when Carli returned from the center circle. She told the team they were attacking right to left but had kickoff. That meant Ash would have the sun the first half. Tricky. Jill again gave some speech they all only half-listened to, then it was game time. Alyssa sat on the front row of the bench between Julie and Ali. Both defenders were pissed at their lack of playing time but were careful not to show it. No one knew what Jill would do if someone spoke up. And no one wanted to risk finding out. So, they would sit and cheer and pray that they would be told to warm up and get some playing time. 

They watched the defense huddle together. All three women knew what was being said in the tunnel. Casey was being told to watch her runs forward so they wouldn’t be left hanging. Ashlyn was threatening Pookie with murder if she caught her ball watching. Allie yet again warned Becky not to drift too far. Alyssa picture perfectly the restrained look on Becky’s face as she resisted rolling her eyes. They completed their handshake then took up their positions on the field.

The game started out differently than the last. Ireland was pissed about being shut out last game and threw everything forward with pace at the USWNT. Ashlyn had snagged two crosses and saved a shot in the first 8 minutes. The midfield couldn’t find its footing among the high Irish press. Becky and Casey were hemmed in by the Irish wingbacks. They had to do something to give the midfield a chance. Becky played a long ball up the flank for Mal who immediately played it back. Rather than play it over to Long, Becky took a chance and dribbled up the field. She drew two defenders to her and that allowed her to play the ball to Mewis. Carli and Andi were both making runs, so she had options. Ireland had no choice but to drop the press and defend. The USWNT could find their footing now.  
It didn’t take long. Alex and Lynn worked well together, one pushing forward and the other making a run. Dunn and Mal dominated the flanks, getting back to help on defense when necessary. Carli was her typical goal-poaching, roaming self. That suited Andi and Sammy just fine – now that they had turned and put Ireland on the ropes they could run the pitch. The team’s work paid off. In the 20th minute, Alex turned their back line and slotted one home. That seemed to open the floodgates.

At the half, the USWNT went into the locker room with a 3-0 lead, courtesy of Alex, Carli, and Sammy. This was the performance they expected and felt good to meet their expectations. The crowd had certainly loved it. Jill’s halftime speech consisted mainly of keep doing what they were doing and score all the goals they could. Becky just sighed from Alyssa’s lap but didn’t speak up. She again wouldn’t leave Ashlyn out to dry. Mal was handling the attacking flank duties just fine.

To the team’s surprise, Jill did make a sub at halftime. Off went Carli and on went Rose. Did Jill actually want to see how a young midfield could work and give them a chance to build chemistry? Only time could answer that. But Rose was grateful for the playing time. Alyssa watched Becky slide on the captain’s badge as they walked out of the tunnel. She loved seeing the woman with it and knew Becky loved having it, even if her girlfriend was too polite to say anything like that. Alyssa winked at her as she headed to the bench, causing a blush to rise on Becky’s cheek. The defender knew what the captain’s badge did for her girlfriend. But they had to win the game first.

The second half started and the USWNT seemed to dominate. Every Irish player was immediately marked when they had the ball and mostly shut down into making lateral and backwards passes in an attempt to open up their lines. Long, Casey, and Becky held down the back. Though at times it was just Becky and Allie. Both made a note to talk to Casey about turning into another Klingenberg. That was not what the team needed, especially in this three back. It would mean death against tougher opponents.

Again, Ireland had few changes, but they did their best to make the best of them. Ash came off her line a few times to smother a few attacks or punch clear long throws. Alyssa noted she was being more conservative in her moments, much like she had learned to be a little more willing to come off her line. They were learning from each other, and becoming better keepers because of it. Alyssa did her best not to snigger at Ali’s awing at Ash’s every save. The couple was so obvious, but they were still adorable. So, she talked tactics with Julie, trying to stay engaged in the game. They were in the middle of discussing the advantages of a three back versus a four when Jill hollered at Julie to warm up as a sub. Alyssa thought she had never seen the young woman move so fast. She bolted up off the bench and jogged down to the end line to get loose. Julie was not going to give Jill a chance to change her mind. With 20 minutes left, Jill called her up and gave her a sub card. At the 75th minute mark, the ball went out for a throw and Julie subbed in for Allie Long. Now they had two center-backs in the three-back formation, but at least one of them was in the center. 

Becky traded grins with Julie and they immediately started clicking like they used to do. Julie and Casey had chemistry from playing together for Chicago, so they synced right up. A cohesive defense. Becky relaxed a little. They could close this game out and earn a shutout. Not that Ireland would roll over and play dead. But the back three had that intricate understanding that was only gained from experience playing with each other. They knew when to drop back and cover or help pressure a player. Ireland managed only long shots from distance and Ashlyn smothered those with ease.

When the whistle blew at the end of stoppage time, Alyssa and Ali were the first two women off the bench. Ali ran straight to Ash and hugged her tight, whispering in her ear how proud she was of her for getting that shut-out. Ash just held her, elated that she didn’t get scored on. Alyssa was trying to get to Becky to tell her just how well she played, but Andi tackled her midway between the 18-yard box and the midfield. They landed in a pile with an oomph.

“Hey kid.” Alyssa managed to get out, rustling Andi’s hair.

“We won! And I got to play 90 minutes!” Andi yelled, unable to contain her excitement.

“Yeah you did.” Alyssa grinned up at the young woman. This excitement is something she prays Andi will never loose. “Now can I stand up?”

“Oh…yeah. Sorry.” She scrambled off the goalkeeper and pulled her to her feet. Alyssa clasped her shoulder.

“No worries kiddo you were excited. Now let’s go congratulate our captain.” Andi nodded in agreement and two made their way over to where Becky was. The defender was talking to Julie and Alex around midfield about the game. Alyssa doesn’t interrupt the conversation, but chose to wrap around Becky instead and rest her head on her shoulder. Becky smiled at the gesture..

“Like I was saying Alex you did better today with dropping back and helping our midfield when they need it. I am sure Jill noticed it.”

“I sure hope so.” Alex sighed. “I am just not sure if my game is evolving enough to keep a place on the team with players like Chris and Lynn around.”

“Well maybe you need to change it.” Julie piped up.

“What do you mean JJ?”

“I mean that Chris went overseas to change her game and it worked. Who’s to say you don’t need to do the same thing?”

“She’s right.” Alyssa piped up from Becky’s shoulder. “Even Carli is thinking about it. It is certainly a unique experience. If you feel like you are in a rut, it is at least worth thinking about.”  
“Yeah…it can’t hurt to look at options. Right?”

“Right.” The three older women chimed in.

“Ok…can we stop being serious? We just finished camp and won our second game. I mean I think that means we should celebrate.” Andi folded her arms and stared at the older women.  
“Oh my god you called me old! Take it back!” Julie shrieked and lunged for Andi. Andi darted off across the field and Julie followed. Alex, Alyssa, and Becky watched the blonde chase Andi. Andi could dart, but Julie didn’t play the full 90 so she had more energy than the young midfielder. Julie tackled her at the edge of the grass and began to tickle her mercilessly. Everyone could hear Andi’s pleas for mercy as she struggled to breath while laughing.

“Should we go rescue our kid?” 

“Yeah I suppose so.” Alyssa unwound from Becky and two waved goodbye to Alex and headed to the young pair on the ground. Alyssa wrapped around Julie and tugged her off Andi.

“She’s learned her lesson. Now let her breath.” 

“But she called me old!” 

“And you just tackled her to the ground for it and tickled her until she couldn’t breathe. She’s learned her lesson. Haven’t you Andi?” Alyssa didn’t release Julie as she spoke. Becky helped Andi to her feet. The young woman’s sides hurt from laughing so hard. She wrapped an arm around them and took slow breaths.

“Yup. You’re not old JJ. Nope. Just a veteran. A young veteran.” Andi nodded her head as she spoke.

“Good.” Julie beamed and Alyssa unwound from her.

They hugged it out with Becky and Alyssa watching like hawks. Once they were satisfied no more shenanigans were going on, the two linked hands and went to shake hands with the Irish players still on the field and stretch out. Dawn came by and handed them Sharpies, waving to the hordes of screaming fans still in the stands. They got the message. Becky and Alyssa made their way to one part of the horde and started signing autographs and snapping selfies. Again, good moods permeated the air. They had won both games and were finally starting to look like a cohesive unit. That was plenty to smile about.

The pair found each other after roughly 45 minutes and wandered into the locker room. They hit the showers and packed their gear to load onto the bus. Alyssa let Becky board first, knowing she would want the window seat. The blonde took it with a grateful smile and slid into it. Becky sighed as she sat, and like clockwork snuggled into the crook of Alyssa’s arm. Alyssa again kissed her forehead then whispered.

“I am proud of you. I know you wanted a rest. But you stepped up tonight and really led the defense and the team.” Becky shook her head and buried it further. Praise for doing her job, especially from Alyssa, made her bashful. “Don’t shake your head at me captain. It was pretty incredible, watching you lead the team from the back. Sleeves rolled up and that captain’s badge on.” Becky again buried her neck, but this time to hide her blush. Alyssa chuckled at her fiancé’s response and pulled her closer. Julie plopped down next to them and chatted with her Red Stars teammate until they arrived back at the hotel. Becky unburied her head after 15 minutes and chimed in every occasionally, content to just be with her fiancé and her friend.

All the team was eager to get off the bus when they were back to the hotel. Now they could really unwind with camp being over. There were groups already forming of people who wanted to go to different places. When Sydney extended the invitation to Becky for her and Alyssa to join them, Becky glanced up at Alyssa to gage her reaction. The keeper didn’t seem to be thrilled.  
“Nah Syd, I think we are going to stay in tonight. But keep an eye on Andi, will you?” 

“Sure thing captain. I will make sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble.” Syd rolled her eyes at the glare Becky shot her. “She is a college kid. I won’t let her do anything that I wouldn’t do in college.”  
“That is not comforting Sydney!” Becky yelled after the retreating woman. Alyssa chuckled at Becky’s overprotectiveness.

“Come on, let’s get upstairs and change, then order some room service. Maybe see who else is staying around and have a movie night?” The goalkeeper suggested.  
“Movie night sounds wonderful.” Becky agreed and the two women headed into the hotel. 

Word got around via Andi and Syd that they were staying in and having a movie night, so those who stayed behind popped by to join them. In the end, it was Becky, Alyssa, Amy with Ryan and baby Luke, Carli, Tobin and Christen, and Mal. They were piled onto the two beds, Mal snuggled up with Chris and Tobin. With Ryan present, the team elected to watch the Secret Life of Pets. It was adorable, even if Ryan fell asleep half way through after gorging himself on the popcorn Mal had brought. When he turned his nose up at Carli’s trail mix, everyone laughed. Not everyone was the health nut their captain was.

All in all, it was a peaceful evening and both women were exhausted by the time the they were saying goodbye to the last pair of Tobin and Christen, who was carrying a sleepy Mallory on her back. Becky couldn’t stop yawning as she waved goodbye. Alyssa closed the door behind the trio. Once she was sure it was locked, she joined the blonde in brushing her teeth before crawling into bed. In the back of her mind, the goalkeeper remembered that she hadn’t had the opportunity to show Becky just what she thought of the woman when she wore that captain’s badge.  
‘Oh well.’ She thought as she drifted off to sleep, Becky already snoring softly behind her. ‘There is always tomorrow.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I didn't think I would get this done this quickly, but I did, so here it is! I had no intention of this chapter being this long, but I couldn't find a good place to cut it before where I did. As always, let me know what you think or any ideas you have for where the story could go next, I love them. Work is going to get busy again when the next experiment starts, so no promises on how often I update, but rest assured I work on this whenever I have a spare moment. Thanks for all the support!  
> -Red


	8. Picking A Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa and Becky are back in Kansas City after the camp and two games with the USWNT. The mothers have been hounding them to start making progress on the wedding and the pair no longer has the excuse of camp to avoid their questions. So, they agree to answer the most important one. They have to pick a date.

“Well when will we have a nice break from soccer? Don’t laugh at me I am being serious.” Alyssa stared at the Becky across their kitchen table. They have their large calendar laid out on it. 

The day they got back from camp with the national team, the mothers started to bombard the pair with questions about the wedding. Alyssa had gotten fed up with the constant buzzing of her phone and snapped at her mother, telling her in no uncertain words that they just needed one question to answer and just one. Her mother was flustered and didn’t have one off the top of her head. Alyssa had gotten a text from Amanda that evening while she was cuddled with Becky on the couch. The mothers wanted a date. The goalkeeper had replied that they would find a range and get back to them. That led to their current situation of staring at the upcoming calendar trying to determine when the best time to tie the knot and honeymoon would be.

“I know you are love. I was more laughing at how busy we always seem to be. We might have to pull a Julie and miss some of preseason to do it.”

“Yeah but let’s only have to do that if there is no better option. Vlatko would not be too happy I imagine for his captain to miss any of the preseason if we can avoid it.”

“True.” Becky conceded and took another look at the calendar. Things were going to get busy with the NWSL preseason starting as well as SheBelieves and other national team friendlies. Jill seemed to be determined to play them every FIFA break, so those were all out as well. US Soccer had told them to expect friendlies of some sort even after the season ends.

“Ok…after the season ends. We will have friendlies up through November, right? What if we did a December wedding? We could do early December, go honeymoon, and be back in time for the holidays if we wanted.” Alyssa stared at the calendar, seeing if there was any other good span of time. Unless they were willing to miss friendlies and possibly miss time with their club teams, December was going to be the best option.

“I think you are right. Neither of us is willing to sacrifice time with the Blues or the Red Stars and I personally don’t want to miss any National Team games with the competition heating up between Ash and I.” Alyssa leaned back in her chair and stared into those blue eyes she loves so much.

“What if we went to this time next year?” Becky threw it out there. They might as well look at all their options.

“Then we have January camp and SheBelieves and then preseason before we know it. We run the risk of having to miss some. And with it being a World Cup qualifying year, Jill, Vlatko, and Rory wouldn’t be happy with us missing anything.”

“Yeah your right.” Becky slumped.

“Do we want to wait until after the World Cup? That is in 2019 so we would have plenty of time to plan. Do it the offseason after that.” Alyssa suggested.

“Yeah…. but if that is the plan and we end up winning we may miss some of the Victory Tour and retirement games.” Becky replied. “I know Carli missed some to get married, but it just doesn’t sit right with me. Captains lead by example.”

“Fair enough. I take it after the Olympics is too far away? I… I think it is. I mean that is essentially three and a half years from now. That is one long engagement.” Alyssa shifted in her chair. This was harder than they thought.

“Yeah no. At that point, we might as well elope and go to the courthouse.” Becky snorted.

“Hey there is an idea…” The goalkeeper perked up. “Why not elope then throw one big party for everyone when we get back?”

“Because your mother, my mother, your twin, and our combined teammates would kill us.” Becky regrettably shot down Alyssa’s idea. She had to admit that eloping was sounding better and better. The wrath of those women though was not something she wanted to face. Ever.

“Damn.” Alyssa muttered softly. She thought she was onto something. “Ok. Let’s pick a time frame and start narrowing things down then.” 

“Alright. What kind of wedding did you dream about as a kid?”

“Me? I… uh…that was more Amanda than me.” Alyssa stuttered out, blushing slightly. She never was one to think she was going to get married, so why bother spending all the time planning for a ceremony? Let Amanda chase that dream while she chased soccer.

“Oh sweetheart.” Becky got up from the table and went around to where Alyssa was sitting. She pulled the woman up and wrapped her in a warm hug, squeezing her tight. It never ceases to astound her how Alyssa thought she would never find that special someone. The keeper was soft spoken, sure, but she was still a kind, gentle soul at heart. Becky couldn’t stay away no matter how hard she tried at first. “Well you better start figuring it out because we have a wedding coming up at some point and I want to make sure it is a good mix of both of us.”

“Ok.” Alyssa spoke softly and kissed Becky. “Ok.”

“Good.” Becky turned in her arms and stared back at their calendar. They had to find the best time to get hitched. “Well I was thinking summer, but with that being when we are in season that is definitely out. If we want people to be able to go, we should plan on sometime between the end of season and the start of preseason.”

“So…October thru March is our range? That narrows it down some.”

“Spring or fall wedding?” Becky mused, leaning back into Alyssa’s arms.

“What about winter?” Alyssa surprised Becky with an answer. “It is my favorite season.”

“You do love winter. And I can rock the snow. Plus, it will let me wear a longer dress to hide these hideous tan lines. We could honeymoon somewhere warm and enjoy it before coming back for the holidays.” Becky agreed with the goalkeeper and reached to the table. She rearranged the calendar sheets so that November and December were shown.

“So…we have friendlies in the middle of November but they are against Canada so we don’t travel very far. We could do after the friendlies? Or we could wait a few weeks and to the middle of December. If we do that, we could plan the honeymoon so that we come home for a short while then go see some family before January Camp.”

“Let’s go with early December. That will give us a break after the friendlies.”

“Why would…oh. We are playing Canada.” Alyssa groaned. “Tempers and emotions always flair with Canada. I don’t want that bleeding over into our wedding. Especially with Des being a friend of yours.”  
“Exactly. No fist fights at the wedding. So, give everyone some time to calm down. If we do early December and take a nice long honeymoon and still make it back to do Christmas with whoever’s family this year’s turn is.” Becky grinned.

“That sounds lovely.” Alyssa murmured, staring down at the dates.

“So early December? Do we want to make it official?” Becky asked slowly. They were really taking the first step towards planning their wedding.

“Early December.” Alyssa nodded and a grin spread over her face. They were doing this. She got up from the table and grabbed a pencil from the cup of writing instruments on their microwave. She put a circle through the first week of December and wrote WEDDING inside of it. Now it was official. 

When it was penciled in, she tossed the pen on the couch and drew Becky back to her. Both of them leaned in and shared a passionate kiss. They were really doing this. They were going to get married. In December. Alyssa drew back first and nuzzled noses with Becky. Smiles graced both their faces.

“We are going to do this. We are going to get married this December. That is plenty of time to plan things, right?” Alyssa asked.

“I am going to bet our mothers will disagree. Tomorrow when we tell them the date range they will start to pester us with where we want to get married so they can find and book a venue. Then there is save the dates, invitations, flowers, dresses, suits if you want one, photographer, a cake, reception venue and food, a DJ, a hotel room for the night before we fly out to the honeymoon. Ya know, all of that stuff.” Becky stifled a laugh as she the younger woman’s green eyes grow wide at the thought of figuring out all the nitty gritty details. 

“We have to find out all of that? By December?” The panic was starting to show in Alyssa’s voice.

“Whoa calm down there beautiful.” Becky brought her hands up and caressed Alyssa’s arms. She had to get the keeper to slow down before she had a full-blown panic attack. “It won’t be just us. We have both our moms to help us out as well as Amanda. They have done this kind of thing before. If you want we can also find us a wedding planner to help handle things. Carli did just get married not too long ago so we can pick her brain. We also have Abby, Boxxy, Hao, Amy, Chups, Mittsy, and lord knows how many other teammates that have been through this. They can help us. We can do this. Breathe.”

“Right. Family. Friends. Help.” Alyssa pressed her forehead against Becky’s and took a couple of slow, deep breaths.

“That’s it. You do not want to get another migraine.” Becky soothed the goalkeeper, humming softly to a tune from Hamilton. The mere mention of a migraine made Alyssa shudder. She had been getting them since college and nothing seemed to help them. The doctors had run all sorts of tests and found nothing. She just got migraines. Journaling helped her and Amanda figure out that high levels of stress seemed to bring them on. Following Rio, Alyssa’s stress level had taken a dramatic jump. Three times between their return to the United States and finishing January camp Alyssa had been laid up for multiple days due to a migraine. All she could do was block out as much sound and light as she could and pray for it to stop.

‘No, no more migraines please. Can we not tell the parents until tomorrow?”

“We can wait until tomorrow sweetheart.” Becky promised. “How about we go curl up and watch another episode of Game of Thrones? Go throw on some comfy clothes and I will get us something to drink.” She kissed Alyssa’s forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. “Go on.”

“Yes dear.” Alyssa mumbled, a smile on her face. Becky knew that Game of Thrones always perked her up. The show was intense and, while not quite as good as the books, gave them something to watch together. 

The goalkeeper left the kitchen and made her way to the bedroom. Athena jumped up onto the dresser and cried for attention having been woken up from her nap when the goalkeeper left the kitchen. Alyssa scratched right behind her ears and grinned when a rumbling purr escaped the black cat. She pulled open the bottom drawer with her foot and leaned down to extract a pair of sleeping boxers and an old Boston Breakers shirt. Athena protested when Alyssa stopped petting her so that she could strip down and change. The cat squeaked when Alyssa picked her up but settled down into the goalkeeper’s arms when she exited the room.

In the kitchen, Becky was retrieving two wine glasses from the cabinet next to the fridge. From the bottom shelf of the fridge she extracted a bottle of rosé wine. She poured two glasses after extracting the cork and shooed Freyja from her feet. The tortie grumbled that she didn’t get any tuna but the defender ignored her. She wanted to get her fiancé to relax and hopefully prevent a migraine. They needed some down time before SheBelieves and the craziness of the season began again. Going to the couch, she put the glasses on the side table and grabbed her controller to boot up her Xbox. Once it was loaded Becky loaded the HBOGO app. That is when Alyssa joined her.

The goalkeeper dodged the angry tortie on the coffee table and sat next to Becky on the couch. Athena purred happily, glad to still be getting some attention now that her parents were home. Becky reached out and gave Athena’s head a caress while the screen loaded. Alyssa snuggled into her side while she opened the latest episode. Athena didn’t like all the jostling, so she moved to the back of the couch. Becky handed the goalkeeper a glass of wine while the intro played.

“To December?”

“To December.” Alyssa clinked her glass to Becky’s and took a long sip. They were doing this. In December, she would be a married woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I got this out a little later than I planned but here it is. Not my longest chapter, but I wanted to get the plot moving along now that they were out of camp. I hope you all enjoyed it. It was fun to write and took me back to my own wedding planning days. Though ours was at the courthouse downtown, so it was a lot easier than Becky's and Alyssa's will be. As always, I appreciate all of the kudos and comments that you leave. They absolutely make my day.  
> -Red


	9. Practice with Barnie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa decides she needs some extra work in before the next SheBelieves cup. She calls up current FCKC and former USWNT goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and asks for her assistance. Barnie readily agrees and the two head to FCKC's practice pitch to take some shots.

“You’re up early.” Becky noted. She had woken to an empty bed at 7 in the morning and ventured into the kitchen to find coffee. Alyssa was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of steaming coffee and reading the paper. Well, the part of paper that Athena wasn’t sitting on.

“Yeah. Couldn’t go back to sleep.” The goalkeeper shrugged.

“That doesn’t mean you had to leave.” Becky pouted at the woman while the Keurig brewed her cup.

“Sorry honey. You were sleeping so well I didn’t want to disturb that. You need all the rest you can get these days.”

“Shut it.” Becky took the steaming mug and slid next to Alyssa. “Pass me the sports section.”

“Good luck. That is what is warming Athena’s rear.” Alyssa put down the business section and gestured.

“Of course. Down girl.” Becky waved her hands at Athena. The black cat merely leveled her green eyes at Becky and laid down. “Oh, it is going to be that way, is it? Well I have thumbs.” She reached over and scooped up the cat. Athena meowed loudly in protest but Becky was having none of it. She unceremoniously dropped the cat on the floor and grabbed the sports section. Alyssa chuckled and went back to reading the business section.

\---

“Dammit Barnie that one hurt.” Alyssa shook her palms out. She was currently at a ‘keepers only’ practice with Becky’s FCKC teammate and former USWNT player Nicole Barnhart.

“Well yeah they are supposed to. That is what you’ll face against the likes of Germany, England, and France.” Barnie shrugged.

“Yeah yeah I know.” Alyssa refocused and got back into position. 

Alyssa had reached out to Barnie during January camp and asked for her fellow goalkeeper’s help in prepping for the SheBelieves Cup. The FCKC shot stopper had agreed, knowing that Alyssa was trying to get all the help she could get for her first significant games in a tournament. They had met up at FCKC’s training grounds after breakfast. Barnie was currently cracking shots at the Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper from different points outside of the 18. They were going to work their way to inside the 6-yard box as neither trusted Jill to provide either of her goalkeepers in the tournament with an adequate defense. Barnie hammered another shot that rattled off of the upper ninety, past Alyssa’s outstretched arms. The younger woman swore again then slowly pushed herself up.

“You have to stay alert Lys. These aren’t the shots we typically see in the NWSL. They will take them from anywhere and with laser accuracy. They are going to make you and Ash stretch to full extension every time to see where you are weak. They know as little about you as you do about them.”

“This isn’t exactly comforting information Barnie.” Alyssa growled as she reset.

“It wasn’t meant to be comforting, it was meant to be informing. You need to know what you are going to be up against.” She cracked another shot. Alyssa got her fingertips on it to push it over the crossbar while narrowly avoiding running into the goalpost. “Good. Be ready to do that while tracking the ball through a crowded box.”

Alyssa sighed and pushed herself up. The grind was starting to wear her down and this was her first major tournament. Her nerves were spiking through the roof. She took a few deep breaths and reset as Nicole moved closer. Now she about 12-15 yards out.

The younger goalkeeper managed to stop the first few shots. On the third, she got enough on it to push it out of the goal. She thought she was golden until Barnie shot forward and sent the shot rocketing into the other end of the goal. Alyssa pushed herself up off the ground and charged toward the older goalkeeper.

“What the hell Barnie?!”

“That is what could happen in a game. You have to be ready. You asked me to help get you ready.” Nicole kept her tone as even and calm as she could with Alyssa fuming only a few steps away. “Do you want to tell me what is really going in your head or do you want to bitch about every goal I manage to score on you? Because if you do, we aren’t going to get much accomplished in this training session.”  
For a moment Alyssa looked like she was ready to go toe-to-toe with the former USWNT keeper but then she seemed to deflate. Her shoulders sagged forward and she awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck with her gloved hand.

“Yeah yeah fine. Let me grab my water.” Barnie nodded in agreement and watched the younger woman jog over to their bags. Something was up with the rising keeper and she needed to figure out what. Being in the wrong headspace before a big tournament, especially one where she could make a name for herself or at minimum keep herself in the running for the starting USWNWT job, could be severely detrimental. Alyssa jogged back over and tossed Barnie her own water. The two women lazily plopped on the ground in front of the goal and took a moment to rehydrate.

“So, what’s going on Lys?”

“Gosh Barnie I don’t even know where to start.” Alyssa muttered, eyes downcast. She wasn’t a fan of heart to heart talks with anyone who wasn’t Becky. But the defender wouldn’t understand everything weighing on her shoulders currently – Alyssa knew she had to speak with a fellow goalkeeper.

“Start with the what pops in your mind first.” Barnie leaned back on her elbows and soaked up the sun. Alyssa would crack eventually now that the door had been opened.

“It is this dang tournament. This is finally my chance to stake a claim on the starting keeper job. And I can’t stop thinking about how I have next to no minutes and am expected to play against some of the best teams in the world. We haven’t been played at all until Hope couldn’t and then we haven’t played the best teams. You know the team is going to be under pressure to win after getting knocked out of the Olympics. That is mostly going to fall on the forwards, Ashlyn, and myself. And Alex has already proved herself. Christen is starting to the more minutes she gets. Ashlyn and I are still trying to not look green and Jill experimenting with the defense isn’t helping. We don’t have the right personnel to play with a damn 3-man back line.”

“I get that. Oh, don’t scoff at me, you know I do. Remember when Hope had shoulder surgery? I had to step up and help the team qualify for the 2011 World Cup. And we almost didn’t make it. I was like you, didn’t have a whole lot of playing time and didn’t really know what I was going up against. And you would think in our group, that would still be ok. But I didn’t trust our defense and they didn’t trust me. It showed. We barely qualified after we beat Italy in a playoff game. It wasn’t pretty. But I learned a lot from that. And that knowledge, I can pass onto you. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to doubt your backline and they are going to doubt you. It will help that you play with Julie in the league, if she plays, and that Becky is your girl. She will trust you. You just have to get Allie and whoever else Jill plays to do the same. And you can’t hold things against them, or yourself. Remember what Hope taught us about letting things go? Find your own ritual and let go of mistakes. The pressure you feel on that field will be unlike anything you’ve felt. But know that you can bear it. I know you can. You and Ashlyn have been training for this moment, the chance when Hope is gone to earn that spot. You have to grab it with both hands and not let go of it Alyssa.”

“You make it sound so simple. We both know it is not like we can snap our fingers and fix the problems of a crappy backline. Look I just… I have this nightmare. It’s gotten worse as we get closer to the tournament. I step out onto the field, all ready to go, and the game starts. Then the team is on the attack and I freeze. I can read the shot, I know what to do, but I cannot move. My feet are frozen in the center of my goal. And they score. Becky and the backline look at me with such disgust. But I can’t move. I can’t get away from their stares of disappointment. When Hope storms on the field from the sideline and starts screaming, I snap awake in a cold sweat. It is absolutely terrible.” The mere memory of the dream made the younger goalkeeper shudder.

“Alyssa honey it isn’t meant to be simple. Being a number one goalkeeper is hard. Being a number one goalkeeper on an international team, much less the international team that is the best in the world. Your nerves are completely natural. Have you told Becky about this dream?” Nicole cocked her head. The veteran defender was the first person who Alyssa seemed to truly open up to and it had visibly helped her game.

Alyssa shook her head, still unable to draw her eyes up from the ground. It was easier to talk when she didn’t have to see the look of concern or worse, pity, on her mentor’s face.

“No, I can’t. She has over 100 international caps. She has played in two World Cups, won one of them, won the Olympics in 2012, back to back championships with FCKC. Becky has done so much and I am barely getting started, yet I am only a few years younger than her. It took me forever to get my damn shot and now I am choking.” Alyssa’s voice cracked and tears threatened to spill. Once she had started talking everything had come bubbling to the surface and poured out of her.

“Lys you can’t compare yourself to her. You know that goalkeepers get way less playing time than field players and it is incredibly hard to break into a national team. Becky got her shot earlier than you did. But all of that happened for a reason. Do you really think God would have had you wait for your shot until 2015 if it wasn’t exactly in accordance with his plan? I know it isn’t very clear right now but we both know God’s plan isn’t always clear. I thought I would unseat Hope Solo. Obviously, that didn’t happen. I spent a lot of time angry at God about that. But now I know he knew my body couldn’t handle it. He gave me a wonderful job at FCKC and we have been able to do fantastic things there. I am sure he put you on this path for a reason. Put your trust in him. He will guide your hands and make sure your feet aren’t frozen.” Barnie spoke with conviction from deep within her soul. She had full faith that God had put Alyssa in this position for a reason. This tournament was a huge chance for her and God would see her through.

“I have been talking to God Barnie. Every spare moment of every day I pray. For guidance, for strength, for clarity. Any sort of sign that he is in my corner, that he has a plan. Normally I see something, even if it is small that tells me God is with me. But since camp, I haven’t seen a thing. Everywhere I turn it is another struggle or a day of crappy work or rewatching film and spotting the 30 different mistakes I make in a game that leads to a goal. I just can’t take much more of it.” Alyssa’s voice grew louder as she spoke, the frustration that had been roiling under the surface starting to appear.

“You can’t give up faith. If it was easy then everyone would have it. God tests us all in different ways. I believe you have said that to me more than a couple times over the past few seasons when you were at Boston and facing an incredible number of shots every game. What makes that test any different than this one now?”

“I am tired of being tested Nicole.” Alyssa spat out. “I am tired of taking the long road or the rough path to my dreams. Just once I would like something to come easily without having to fight tooth and nail for an inch. My move to the Red Stars was supposed to open doors. Instead, I am still having to hurl myself against them to get them to budge at all.”

“That is the way it goes sometimes kid. Some people have the easy path. Unfortunately, you might not be one of them. The question you have to answer is whether or not you are going to let a few gaps and stumbles along the way deter you from the path. Or are you going to keep making your way on it with the people who love you helping you along the way? You have a whole host of friends and family behind you who would be willing to do anything to help you if you would just ask. And you have already done that to some extent. You reached out to me. You knew this tournament was going to be unlike anything you ever faced and wanted to get some insight from someone who has been there. You just have to keep reaching out. Talk to Becky. Talk to Ash. Heck, call Hope if you want. I am sure Graeme has some advice to give you. When you want support call Amanda or some of your friends. Lean on them. We aren’t meant to take our journeys alone.”

Alyssa didn’t respond for some time. She didn’t know what to say. In her heart, she knew everything that Barnie was saying was true. The younger goalkeeper’s mind however was busy trying to pick apart everything her mentor had said. There was no plausible way she could practice like this and gain anything valuable from it.

“Hey Barnie, do you mind if we try this again tomorrow? I need to…I just need some time, alright?”

“No worries Lys. Go get your head screwed on straight. Shoot me a text and we can meet up again.”

“Thanks Nicole.” Alyssa pushed herself up off the ground and offered a hand to the older goalkeeper. Barnie took it and allowed Alyssa to help her up. 

The two women packed up their bags and waved goodbye before going their separate ways. Barnie watched the young woman drive off and turn left out of the practice lot. She definitely wasn’t going home, that would have taken her right. Hopefully wherever Alyssa was going, it would allow her to figure out how to refocus and get right before the tournament. If not, Barnie had no doubt she could crash and burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it has been a while and I am sorry! Seriously though I never would of thought myself capable of writing 20k words yet here we are and only 9 chapters in! I hope that this chapter makes up for my long time away. It took me a while to figure out where exactly I wanted this chapter to go but I am pleased with how it turned out. Shoutout of appreciation to OsoloNewsDay for helping me figure it out! Do you think Alyssa will solve her crisis of faith before the tournament? Will she turn to Becky or will she try to face this on her own? As always, let me know what you think. I love hearing your feedback.  
> -Red


	10. A Wandering Goalkeeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa worries Becky when she doesn't return home after practice. Does Becky go hunting and find her lover? Does Alyssa want to be found? Did she find the answers she was looking for after practice ended with Barnie? Or is she still lost?

Becky was growing worried. Alyssa still hadn’t returned home from her training session with Barnie and it had a few hours ago. When the blonde had pestered Barnie for answers, the goalkeeper had been surprisingly quiet. She had only told her former roommate that Alyssa had needed some time after practice to sort some stuff out and that she was sure Lys would reach out to Becky when she was ready. That did little to ease Becky’s growing fear as the afternoon passed. This wasn’t like Alyssa. She had always kept the defender up to date with her whereabouts. She dug her phone out of her shorts and tried to call her fiancé again. It rang and rang, but ended up going to voicemail.

“Dammit Lys pick up the phone!” The defender swore as she resumed pacing in their living room. What if Alyssa was lost or hurt? I mean sure it had to be hard to get lost in Kansas City, but there was no guarantee that the goalkeeper had stayed in the city. Scenarios of worsening results flashed in Becky’s head like scenes from a horror movie. There was no way the defender could wait patiently anymore. She had to find her fiancé and know she was safe. 

Her mind made up, Becky stepped over Athena who was pacing with her and headed to the hallway. The blonde hastily pulled on some shoes, a rain jacket and grabbed her keys. That would be enough to find Alyssa along with the car’s first aid kit. She headed out and, after throwing an escaping Freyja back inside, locked up. Once settled in the car, she phoned Barnie.

“Becky, I already told you I don’t know exactly where she is. She just said she needed some space.” Barnie yawned as she spoke. She was right in the middle of a nap when Becky called.  
“Nicole, it has been hours. I need to know she is alright. Just tell me which was she went after you left the fields.”

“She went left. I watched her drive down until she hit the light and she took a right. After that, I don’t know. Lys just needed some time to mull things over. I bet she is on her way home right now.”

“Barnie she doesn’t just drop off the face of the earth. That is some Hope Solo level crap and we all saw the stress it put on Carli. She swore she would never do that to me. I have called her repeatedly in the past few hours and not once has she picked up or texted me. I am telling you this isn’t like her. I am scared and I am going to look for her.”

“Alright Broon.” Nicole groaned and sat up. She didn’t think when Alyssa and herself parted ways that it would lead to this. The older goalkeeper thought the young woman needed to clear her head and sort things out before she went home and talked to Becky. 

“Thanks… I have to go.” Becky abruptly hung up the phone. Her rearview mirror flashed with car headlights as someone pulled in her driveway. Becky quickly got out of the SUV and immediately recognized the car in the driveway as that of her fiancé. She did her best to stay patient as she waited in the steady downpour for Alyssa to exit the vehicle.

The goalkeeper climbed out of the car and made her way to the blonde. Becky opened her mouth to begin her exasperated lecture. Then she saw Alyssa when she stepped under the range of the porchlight. The brunette was soaked through to the bone. Her eyes looked like she had been crying, but it was hard to tell from the rain. Strong shoulders that Becky loved slumped forward as if the weight of the world was too much to carry. The defender promptly shut her mouth and quickly unlocked the door so that Alyssa could get out of the rain.

“Come on in honey.” Her voice was as soft as she could make it. Something had Alyssa majorly out of sorts.

Becky ushered her fiancé into the house. Alyssa slowly entered and seemingly took her shoes off out of habit. Becky reached out and took Alyssa’s hand. It was freezing.

“Honey we need to get you warm. Let me run you a bath, ok?” Becky squeezed Alyssa’s hand. She got a nod in response.

The defender led the shivering woman to the bathroom and closed the door once Athena and Freyja had joined them. They would just sit outside the door and scratch otherwise. She started the tub, running mostly hot with a dash of cold so that the room would start to warm. Once the tub was plugged she turned her attention back to her fiancé. Alyssa was standing near the toilet, shaking from the cold. Becky’s heart broke even further if it was possible. She looked dejected. Becky approached her and raised those sad green eyes to hers.

“Let’s get you out of these wet clothes.” Alyssa offered no resistance.

Becky grabbed the hem of the soaked black Nike hoodie and pulled it up and off. She did the same with the USWNT training top and sports bra. Everything was soaked right through. Alyssa crossed her arms over her chest in a meager attempt to halt the shivering. It didn’t work. Becky crouched down and slid Alyssa’s shorts and boxer briefs off. She made sure to grab the socks as Alyssa stepped out of them. Becky tossed all of them in a corner, attracting the cats’ attention. They both pounced on the flying socks. It drew a chuckle from Becky. When the defender rose back to her feet, she saw that Alyssa was still stone-faced. She left the goalkeeper for a moment to check the water level and temperature of the tub. Finding both satisfactory, she turned off the faucet and turned back to Alyssa.

“Alright, let’s get you warm.” She offered the younger woman a small smile as she gestured. “Come on.” Alyssa just looked at her with those green eyes again full of storming emotions. Becky gave her a warm smile again and placed a warm hand on Alyssa’s shivering arm. “We need to get you warm. You can’t stop shaking. We don’t have to talk.” Becky wrapped her fingers around Alyssa’s forearm and gently tugged. Alyssa didn’t resist her and allowed the blonde to lead her to the steaming bath. Becky guided her to the edge and made sure she got in carefully.

“Stay.” The whisper is fragile. Becky doubted for a moment that she even heard it until she met Alyssa’s eyes. They were pleading.

“Of course. Give me just a moment.” Becky stepped back and quickly stripped off her jacket, shorts, and tank top, tossing them haphazardly in the general direction of where Alyssa’s clothes were discarded a few moments ago. The blonde pulled her hair into a bun before she stepped forward and into the tub behind Alyssa. Slender arms wrapped around washboard abs as Becky pressed a gentle kiss on the younger woman’s shoulder. “Let’s get you in that warm water.”

The two lowered themselves into their spacious tub, taking care not to fall. The warm water surrounded them as they settled in and leaned back. Alyssa’s head was resting on Becky’s shoulder. Becky had both arms wrapped around Alyssa’s midsection. The goalkeeper had slid her hands under Becky’s so that they were under the water. Steam rose around them as the warmth began to seep into the goalkeeper’s bones. Green eyes fluttered shut. Becky hummed a TobyMac song Alyssa had gotten stuck in her head the previous day.

Tension eased from Alyssa’s body as she finally got warm. Her eyes remained closed and her breathing was steady. Becky suspected she was asleep, but didn’t dare move to find out. She suspected whatever Alyssa had gone through had been emotionally draining. Sleep (now that the goalkeeper was warm) was a good thing – her mind could rest and process the ordeal. Becky decided to let the women sleep until the water began to grow cold or she woke up – whichever came first. Athena and Freyja had curled up in the sink to rest themselves after burrowing through both sets of clothes.

Becky continued to hum tunes as the water cooled off. When she began to feel more cold than warm, she turned her head and pressed a kiss to Alyssa’s forehead.

“Sweetheart? Let’s get you out of this water and into some comfy clothes.” Becky murmured when she felt Alyssa stir.

“Ok.” The goalkeeper’s voice was scratchy. Becky didn’t care. She was glad that she got to hear it.

The two women stood and climbed out of the tub. Their movement got the attention of Athena, who swatted Freyja to wake her up. Both cats wandered under foot, making it slightly more difficult for the two women to dry off. Nonetheless, they accomplished the task and wrapped towels around themselves. Becky opened the bathroom door and watched the two miscreants dart out to investigate Lord knows what. She shivered a bit when the colder air of the bedroom hit her. 

“Let’s get some clothes on before we lose the warmth.” She smiled at Alyssa. 

The younger woman nodded and followed Becky out into their bedroom. Both women dug through their dressers to find comfy clothes. Becky ended up in old Adidas sweats and an old University of Virginia cutoff. Alyssa pulled on her favorite Nike sweats and a Patriots shirt Amanda had gotten her for Christmas. The defender opened her mouth to speak when she heard Alyssa’s stomach grumble. A grin spread across her face when Alyssa bashfully wrapped her arms around her stomach in a vain attempt to quiet it.

“Sounds like you could use a bite. Go get comfy on the couch if the cats will let you. I will order us some pizza.” Alyssa nodded in agreement to Becky’s suggestion and made her way to the couch. She grabbed the crotcheted quilt off the back of it and wrapped it around her before nesting into the couch. Athena immediately jumped up onto her lap and started to purr while kneading. The goalkeeper freed a hand to gently stroke the black cat’s soft fur. Her affection generated a rumbling purr from the content furball.

Freyja wound between Becky’s feet while she fetched her cell phone and placed an order with their local Dominos. With them being the sponsor of FCKC, the players got a nice discount anytime they ordered pizza. Becky and Alyssa had a standing order with them for those nights when neither felt like cooking and they had been good on their diet for most of the week. They confirmed the order and her card information then gave an estimate of 30 minutes or so for delivery. Becky thanked them and tucked her phone in her pocket before finding her fiancé. The sight of Alyssa stroking a purring Athena warmed her heart. The cat had a connection to Alyssa and seemed to be a source of comfort when Alyssa was upset. Becky curled up next Alyssa on the couch. She grabbed the XBOX controller and booted it up. 

“Any preference on what we watch?” She asked, not necessarily expecting an answer.

“Atlantis?”

“Perfect. Let me see if is still in our queue.” Becky scrolled until she found it and started it up. Alyssa faintly smiled. It was one of her favorite movies.

The pair sat with on the couch while the movie started. Athena stayed purring on Alyssa’s lap. Freyja was content to curl up on the back of the couch behind Becky’s head and bat at her bun. Alyssa giggled when Milo met Mole, Audrey, and Vinny. That made Becky’s heart soar. Alyssa was starting to come around. Maybe they could get to the bottom of everything that had her worked up after they had some food on their stomachs.

The pizza arrived none too soon. Becky left Alyssa on the couch and tipped their usual delivery man. He rewarded her with a smile when he handed over the pizza. Becky took to the kitchen to fix their plates. Freyja was whining the whole way, wanting a piece of the steaming pie. The defender shooed her away multiple times while she fixed their plates and grabbed drinks. The pizza was stowed in the oven for safekeeping while they ate. They started having to hide the food when they found Freyja going to town on a pizza last year. The tortie had eaten almost a full piece of pizza. She was out of sorts for two days – Alyssa figured she had indigestion. Becky didn’t want to chance it again.

“Thanks.” Alyssa shooed Athena from her lap and took the plate Becky offered her. The black cat protested before moving to the arm of the couch.

“You’re welcome.” Becky put two Powerades down on the coffee table before sitting back down.

They dug into their pizza with gusto. Becky stole glances at Alyssa while they ate. She was curious as to how hungry the keeper was. If she picked at her food, things were bad. If she ate her food like normal, she was starting to get out of the funk. Alyssa inhaled the first piece and munched on the second while Milo explored Atlantis with Kida. Becky grinned. Things were on the mend. She didn’t know what things, but she could figure that out once Alyssa was done eating.

That plan went down the drain as Alyssa curled into her side when she was done eating. Becky melted and put her arm around the goalkeeper. She would give Alyssa all the physical contact she wanted. The goalkeeper smiled when she inhaled the scent of Becky – vanilla, fresh cut grass, and spring rain. It was comforting and smelled like home. The weight on her shoulders didn’t seem so heavy now that she was with Becky. Maybe Barnie was right – she needed to lean on the people around her. That thought made her snuggle in closer to the blonde. She knew she had worried Becky when she dropped off the map for a few hours. She owed her fiancé an explanation. After the movie.

Athena and Freyja did not rejoin them for cuddles when the food was gone. They elected to go curl in their cat perch and stare out the windows at the various creatures and people who walked by. The two women stayed curled on the couch and Kira kick some butt and save her kingdom, with a little help from Milo and the gang. Becky’s fingers played in Alyssa’s hair idly. Alyssa’s hand was draped over Becky’s waist and her long digits had crept under the defender’s shirt to reach skin. Both were settled and comfortable when the credits began to roll. Alyssa took a deep breath and her grip tightened on Becky’s waist.

“So…I owe you an explanation.” Alyssa spoke softly from her position in Becky’s side.

She glanced up and met the blue orbs that she fell in love with every time she saw them. Becky had been so kind when she got home. Alyssa fully expected to get yelled at for her stupidity in disappearing for hours on end without an explanation. She had broken a promise to the blonde. Instead, her loving fiancé had ushered her inside and got her warm and fed. Becky didn’t push for answers or demand reasoning. She took care of Alyssa first, being patient while the goalkeeper sorted out her thoughts and found comfort again in arms that held her close.

“Ok.” Becky kissed Alyssa’s forehead before taking a deep breath. She had stayed calm so far – she could maintain it a little while longer until she discovered Alyssa’s reasonings. “I’m all ears honey.”

“Well…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we are 10 chapters in! I honestly still can't believe how far this has developed and how much more I have planned. Thank you all for sticking with me - I know my updated schedule is infrequent but I do promise I am working on this whenever I have a free moment. So, here we have Alyssa getting some tender love from Becky. Do you think Becky will forgive her for wandering off without any sort of warning? Did Alyssa find her answers when she was soul searching?
> 
> As always, let me know what you think. Your comments are the fuel to my writing.  
> -Red


	11. Honesty Isn’t Always Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa finally opens up to Becky about her fears.

“Well…” Alyssa began. “You know that I was practicing with Nicole to get ready for SheBelieves – she has tournament experience and isn’t who-knows-where hiding in the wilderness with chickens like Hope. We were working on some basic shot stopping. I…” Alyssa swallowed loudly. This wasn’t easy for her to talk about. She wasn’t proud of her behavior.

“You what sweetheart?” Becky probed gently, carding her hand through Alyssa’s soft locks.

“I was a bitch to Barnie. She was trying to help out, being a nuisance and all in front of goal, and I snapped at her. Repeatedly.” The words were bitter in Alyssa’s mouth. She despised that she treated Barnie the way she did when the older goalkeeper was only trying to help her.

“That doesn’t sound like you. There must have been a reason.”

“Yeah…when I snapped at her for the umpteenth time she stopped and asked me if I wanted to talk. I reluctantly agreed and we plopped down on the field.” Alyssa sighed and buried her face further into Becky’s chest. She did not want to continue, but she knew she had too. Becky was her rock to lean on through it all – Alyssa needed to heed Barnie’s advice and stop trying to do it all on her own. If only her damn pride would get out of the way. The blonde didn’t push. Now that Alyssa had started to open up, she knew the rest would come out when her fiancé figured out how she wanted to say it. She kept carding her hand through Alyssa’s hair, trying to provide any measure of comfort.

“It all boils down to…well to my self-confidence. I don’t believe in myself anymore.” Alyssa reoriented herself so that her ear was over Becky’s heart as she spoke. The steady beat gave her the confidence to keep talking. “In college, it was easy. I was getting called up to the youth teams. I could see the path forward and if I worked hard enough, trained hard enough, played well enough, I could get there. So that is what I did and that is what happened. Then it was playing for Boston. That was going to be my path to the full national team. But the league folded. So, I went to Potsdam. That was going to change my game and push me to that next level. We got so close to winning Champion’s League. I could see the growth in myself and in my game. Then the NWSL started up and I was ready to come back to the states. I loved Germany, but it wasn’t home. So, I went back to Boston. And through all the rough games there, I knew that I was getting that experience. I was starting to get invited to train with the national team. Not consistently, but once you taste it you want more. Not to mention it gave me the perfect reason to see you. Boston gave me the chance to face so many shots and situations. I had to grow to learn how to handle it. All that hard work seemed to pay off. I got my first cap with the national team. I was training under Hope. It was everything I had wanted.”

“Then Chicago traded for me. That was supposed to be the change in things. I was going to have an easier path to stay in the running in the National Team. I was with a winning team, a team that had been built to compete for championships. But that didn’t help me get playing time. Ash and I both got pity minutes when Hope needed a rest. Jill didn’t seem to notice the hard work or the level of play we were achieving. She was going to play Hope until the day Hope couldn’t take the field.” The younger woman couldn’t keep the bitterness from her voice. She was friends with Hope and admired everything the goalkeeper could do. But she still wanted to play more than a meaningless friendly against a low ranked team. Hope wouldn’t be able to play forever, for one reason or another, and neither her nor Ash was getting prepared for that role adequately.

“But it things did change.” Becky countered softly. “You were happier in Chicago. Happier than I had ever seen you. You bonded with a team and really fit in with them, especially when Ragamuffin got traded there. Your game did improve. Maybe not in the shot stopping aspect, but in organizing defenses and shutting down potential problems before they became actual problems. Jill noticed that. You got chosen to the Olympics instead of Ash. I know you didn’t get to start, but sweetheart you were over the moon when you got that phone call from Jill.” Becky could still remember the moment. She was Face-Timing her girlfriend when Jill called. Alyssa had unapologetically hung up on her to answer it. When she Face-Timed Becky again 15 minutes later, she was absolutely beaming and there were tears of joy in her eyes. The defender wanted to be there to hug and congratulate her goalkeeper for the success, but settled for sharing a celebratory drink over video.

“Yeah…for a while it seemed like they did. Honestly. We went to Rio. I got to experience the Olympics. But we crashed out to Sweden. Freakin’ Sweden and their bunker. Then Hope opened her mouth and said the word ‘cowards’. It got taken out of context by the media and US Soccer had their person to crucify. And as horrible as it sounds, it opened a door to Ash and I that maybe wouldn’t have opened. I felt horrible for being happy that I got a shot until I talked to Hope.”

“I remember that.” Becky thought back to when the pair slipped off to North Carolina to see the reclusive goalkeeper. Becky had curled up in a camping chair with a book by the fire while the two goalkeepers wandered off into the woods with Onyx. When they returned that night, both were smiling and the tension seemed lighter on Alyssa’s shoulders. The blonde made sure she thanked Hope before they left for talking to her girlfriend. She knew Alyssa looked up to Hope, and if Hope had faith in her, she would truly fight for the now-vacant #1 spot.

“Yeah. Hope was great. She told me to go for it. And I did. We both did, Ash and me. Graeme worked with us and we split games. We pushed each other to be better at our own styles. But I just don’t…I can’t see myself as the #1. I know that sounds crazy. I mean, it is all I have worked for since I can remember. But now with the door wide open, I am too afraid to dive in.”

“Oh sweetheart…why? You have fought and pushed for this. It is open for you to walk through. You can take this spot with both hands and grab it for the next cycle.” Becky was honestly confused. This was Alyssa’s shot to take it. It was wide open. There was no Hope Solo to beat out – US Soccer made it pretty clear she wasn’t welcome back anytime in the foreseeable future. There was just Alyssa and Ashlyn, and Becky had full faith that her fiancé would come out on top in that competition.

“Because what if I am not good enough? What if I am only meant to play a few games here and there and not meant to play most of the games and tournaments for the states? I am crazy to think I could be half as good as Hope is. I mean, I am already 28 and only have a handful of caps to my name.” Alyssa’s voice was weak and quivering. “I have this nightmare every week. I step out onto the field in that number one jersey, all ready to go, and the game starts. Then the opposing team is on the attack and I freeze. I can read the shot, I know exactly what to do, but I cannot move. My feet are frozen in the center of my goal. And they score off a goal I have stopped a million times in practice. You…you and the rest of the backline such disgust and disappointment. But I can’t move. My mind is screaming for me to run and get off the field as the fans boo in disgust. But I am stuck there. Then Hope storms on the field from the sideline and starts screaming at me. That is when I wake up, after getting berated by the best goalkeeper of all time for not making a simple save.” Tears stream down Alyssa’s face as she pours her heart out to her fiancé. “It keeps getting more and more frequent. I have tried everything to make it stop. I’ve prayed for guidance and confidence and God remains silent. What if this is his way of telling me I can’t do this? That this isn’t my path and all that lies ahead is ruin and failure?” The fragile woman hung tight onto Becky as the sobs grew in strength and her body began to shake. Becky shifted so she could better hold onto Alyssa. She wrapped her arms around her love tighter and whispered soothing words in her ears. Inside, her heart was aching at seeing Alyssa torn to pieces. This was obviously something that had been bothering her for some time. She wished Alyssa would have come to her sooner, before things got this bad. Why didn’t it take the confrontation with Barnie and resulting walk in pouring rain for her to turn to the defender for comfort? Her mind wrapped around that question and refused to let it go.

The XBOX had powered itself off by the time Alyssa slowly started to calm down. Her hand was still wrapped around Becky’s waist and had it in a vice grip but her sobs had lessened. Her breathing was slowing down and becoming more even.

“That’s is honey. Slow, even breaths.” Becky cooed as she continued to rub circles on Alyssa’s back. “You got it all out. Now we can face it together.” She felt Alyssa nod into her soaked shirt. A few moments later the keeper drew back and wiped at her eyes with the hem of her shirt. If she had looked tired when she got home from her walk in the rain, now she looked exhausted. There were circles under her bloodshot eyes.

“I…I should have told you sooner.” Alyssa’s voice rasped out. Her throat was raw from the sobs that shook her throughout the rough afternoon.

“Oh honey. Why didn’t you?” The blonde cupped Alyssa’s face and gently wiped away the stray tears.

“Because…because…” Alyssa’s eyes were drawn to her lap, where her hands were fidgeting. “Because you already have over 100 caps. You don’t get nervous before routine games. You are so sure of yourself all the time. I should be. But I’m not.” 

“Sweetheart just because I am experienced doesn’t mean I don’t remember what it is like to be getting your first big shot. I got mine in the 2011 World Cup after Buehler got a red card. I was terrified. I can relate to what you are feeling – there are huge shoes in front of you and you are looking down like how in the hell are my tiny feet supposed fill those?” 

“Well…yeah…” Alyssa swallowed. She should have known that Becky would understand. She remembered watching that game and thinking that the new center-back better stack up if they were going to survive France. Becky had killed it the game and shown the world why she deserved to play on a huge stage. Alyssa was worried about how she could hold up in a minor tournament.

“Hey…Hey don’t go down that road.” Becky seemed to read her mind, as always. The blonde raised Alyssa’s eyes back to her own. “Everyone’s journey is different. This stage is just as scary to you as that stage was to me. That’s ok. You are allowed to be scared. You are allowed to have doubts. You are human Lys. Things won’t always be smooth. With Jill as coach, you can bet there will be weird formations and strange substitutions. So, you swim the best you can. The team will always have your back. And the real fans will too.” Becky leaned over and placed a tender kiss on her cheek and gently nuzzled her nose with Alyssa’s. “And no matter what, remember you will always have me and the two hooligans to come home too. Nothing you do on the field will change that.” 

Alyssa felt her eyes tear up again. Becky was saying everything she longed to hear and the exact opposite of what Alyssa was afraid the veteran defender would say. How could she ever doubt her love? Becky was her rock, the steady presence in her life even when it seemed like everything else was changing.

“Thank you. For listening. And not yelling at me.” Alyssa gave a tired smile and leaned into Becky’s warm hand. Becky grinned wide in return and caressed her cheek.

“You’re welcome sweetheart. Though I will admit I had a whole lecture planned. Then I saw you get out of the car. You were a wet, shaking mess. How could I lecture you when I bet you had already said things a million times worse to yourself in that head of yours? I wasn’t going to add onto that. That would have been cruel. I am glad we could get you warm, though you might have a cold the next few days. I am also glad you felt comfortable enough to open up to me about this. The next time you have that nightmare, roll over and wake me up. I don’t want you to have to deal with that alone.” Becky spoke sincerely. Alyssa wouldn’t keep hearing this burden alone if she could help it.

“You’re amazing.” The goalkeeper nuzzled into Becky’s hand and fought back a yawn. Today had been emotionally draining, to put it lightly.

“Come on sleepy-head, let’s get you to bed. We must start packing you up tomorrow. We are moving you into that new condo before SheBelieves, remember?”

“Right. Pack tomorrow.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Packing was something she could tackle. Tomorrow though, not tonight.

The pair made their way to the master bath and started to get ready for bed. Athena and Freyja helped like always. Freyja sent the contact solution rolling off the sink 3 times. Athena was content to sit on Alyssa’s feet while she took care of teeth before taking her contacts out. She protested loudly when the younger woman forced her off so she could go back to the bedroom. 

Both women slid into bed. Alyssa curled up in Becky’s arms, positioning her head just right so she heard that steady heartbeat. Her eyes were incredibly heavy and she was exhausted. As she dozed off, she heard Becky whisper.

“Remember to wake me if you need to honey. I will be right here if you need me. I love you so much Alyssa.” She felt Becky place a kiss on the top of her head.

“Mmk... love you too Rebecca. So much.” Alyssa managed to mumble out before her mind succumbed to sleep. 

Becky laid awake a little while longer, content to hold her snoring lover. She took the time to rememorize the features of the woman who had captured her heart. Tonight was a big step for them and only solidified her desire to marry Alyssa. They balanced each other and were the rocks the other needed. When her own eyelids grew heavy, she made sure to send a message of gratitude to God for leading her to Alyssa. She couldn’t imagine her life with anyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...here is a treat for the weekend. I had to rewrite this a few times to get the tone to the one I wanted. Opening up to someone is always hard, but if they truly love you then it is worth it. No one should go through life bearing their burdens alone. Kitties also help with that comfort - animals always seem to know when you need their attention. So, what did you think? This was the first heavy chapter of this fic. Love it, hate it, in-between, let me know. I love to hear what y'all think (plus I will need something to cheer me up with this being the last regular weekend of NWSL season 5. Where did the season go?). Thanks for all the support!  
> -Red


	12. Moving to Chicago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becky and Alyssa move the goalkeeper to the windy city where a surprise awaits them in Alyssa's new home.

“Are you excited to finally see this place? I know JJ sent you pictures but they never seem to do a place justice.” Becky tossed the question to Alyssa as they stretched outside of Alyssa’s car. They had loaded up the back and started the drive to Chicago. It took them 8 hours, multiple cups of coffee, a lunch break, and new windshield wipers, but the duo had finally made it to the windy city.

“Yeah it will be good to see it.” Alyssa stared up at the high-rise building that Julie and Christen (along with herself) now called home. “We should let them know we are here. Jules said she was corralling any available Red Stars to help us.”

“Well that was nice of her.” Becky smiled as Alyssa pulled out her phone. She had kept a close eye on the woman since her breakdown a few nights ago in Kansas City. Alyssa had been true to her promise and woken Becky up that night when she had the nightmare. The blonde was more than willing to hold and reassure her that she did indeed make the save, no matter what the dream showed. The goalkeeper was tired the following day, but more rested than she had been when she tackled the nightmare alone. Becky made sure to have her favorite coffee ready that morning and stock up on it to take to Chicago.

Ninja: Hey CP23 and JJ we are here. Come on down when you get the chance. We are going to go sign the lease and grab the keys.

CP23: Will do Lys. Everything go smoothly on the drive?

**JJtheGr8t: It is about time you got here. You left crazy early. I will hop onto the Red Stars text and see where everyone is at. I gave them your ETA as 10 minutes from now, so they should be here soon.**

**Ninja: Thanks JJ. It wasn’t too bad CP. We caught Freyja trying to sneak out in Becky’s purse, but other than that no major issues. Just ready to settle in so we can go to the Shiba tourney.**

**JJtheGr8t: Of course Lys don’t even mention it.**

**CP23: Aww that is adorable though. I wish I could bring Morena or Khaleesi out here.**

**JJtheGr8t: But Chris how would we ever get you to practice? You would spend all day at the dog park…**

**Ninja: She has got a point CP.**

**CP23: Yeah yeah that is what Tobin says. Haters.**

“What has you shaking your head?” Becky asked as reached out for Alyssa’s hand.

“Just JJ and CP. You can see why Rory made them co-captains. They balance each other out.” Alyssa slid her phone into her jean’s back pocket and took the hand her lover offered.

Together, they made their way inside after getting past the doorman. They approached the front desk where a kindly looking young man was sitting. His nametag read Nathan.

“Well hello, welcome to the Damask Building. What can I do for you two today?”

“I need to sign my lease.” Alyssa informed him.

“Ah you must by Alyssa. Julie told us you would be coming by today. Our manager is in his office. Let me buzz him.”

The two women wait while Nathan calls the building manager. The lobby is well lit and has a nice waiting area as well as a coffee bar. The mail slots were tucked out of the way and under surveillance. Julie had told them that packages were delivered and locked up behind the front desk until you picked them up. All in all, the lobby made a great first impression.

“Alyssa what a pleasure to have you staying with us. My name is Roy.” An older gentleman with silver hair in dress slacks and a button down offers his hand. Alyssa took it, and the two shook hands. 

“Thanks Roy. I am looking forward to it – Julie raves about this place.” Her remarks brought a smile to his face.

“Julie is one of our very best tenets. Why don’t you come back to my office and we can get all of the paperwork signed so that you and your partner can get you moved into your new home?”

“Sounds great.” Alyssa nodded and took Becky’s hand as they followed Roy back to his office.

They sit at his desk and sign a mountain of paperwork. Alyssa has Becky’s name put on the lease as well. They had discussed it over lunch on the drive to the city. The younger woman wanted Becky to have access to everything, so that should the need ever arise that Becky need access, she would have it. It was planning for the worst-case scenario, but Alyssa didn’t want to leave anything to chance. The defender appreciated her thoughtfulness and readily agreed to be put on the lease. It was an easy thing to do and it helped give Alyssa’s stressed mind a moment of peace.

When all the paperwork was signed and keys given, the two women thanked Roy and stepped out of his office. They wandered back into the front lobby and found the elevator. Once aboard, the goalkeeper hit the button for the 14th floor. Her apartment was right next to Christen and Julie’s, which gave both her and her lover peace of mind. They rode the elevator in a comfortable silence, side-by-side. Alyssa hadn’t spoken much the past few days. Her fiancé was worried, but didn’t want to push. She knew Alyssa was trying to cope with the stress of the upcoming tourney and would speak to her when she was ready after their heart-to-heart. Pushing before the younger woman was ready would only cause a fight.

The door was already cracked when the pair reached the corner unit – Julie must have sweet talked someone to let her and the Red Stars gaggle of helpers inside. Becky nudged the door open with her foot and the two women stepped inside. There was a small foyer that led to an open, spacious combined living room and kitchen. The floors were real hardwood, the appliances stainless steel. Windows lined the lakefront view that were as large as the wall. The two walked around the perimeter and inspected it all, before pausing to look out one of the windows.

“Beautiful Lys. This lake view is something special.” Becky commented as she leaned against Alyssa’s shoulder.

“Yeah it is. This will be nice to come back to after a long day in Bridgeview.” Alyssa rested her head on the blonde’s. Becky snaked an arm around Alyssa’s waist and the pair stayed where they stood. They soaked in the blue lake, sun peering through the clouds, and the busyness of the city below it.

Both women were content in the moment of peace. Then they heard loud laughter echo from down the hall. Becky felt her fiancé sigh before they separated to go check out who all was in the apartment. They followed the laughter down the hallway to last room on the right. They stepped inside to the Red Stars group and Alyssa’s face instantly lights up.

“Ninja dad!” Andi launched herself up from the floor and tackled the brunette. Alyssa wrapped her arms around her and hugged her child tightly and fought back stray tears. Neither herself nor Becky expected to see the Stanford student this weekend. Becky looked across the room and saw the telling twinkle in Christen’s green eyes. The older woman gave the forward a warm smile. This was just what Alyssa needed – a visit with her kiddo. Andi never failed to bring a genuine smile to Alyssa’s face.

“Hey kiddo. What are you doing here?” Alyssa squeezed the young woman one more time before letting her go.

“Helping you move in. We all get together for NT camp in a few days, so I got my schoolwork and stuff early and Christen flew me out to help. I fly into camp with you all.”

“Wonderful.” Alyssa hugged her again while mouthing thank you to Christen. The dark-haired forward beamed in response.

“Where is my hug? Or are you just here to see Lys?” Becky pretended to pout.

“No! I missed you too mom!” Andi squirmed out of Alyssa’s arms and jumped into Becky’s. The two women shared a hug after which Becky ruffled Andi’s hair.

Alyssa looked around the room and saw JJ, Christen, Vanessa DiBernardo, Danielle Colaprico, Michele Dalton, and Sam Johnson. She smiled at them all, glad they turned out to help. Buying them dinner would save them the cost of movers. With the wedding coming up, they wanted to bank every penny they had.

“Alright now that you two are up here we can start unloading all of your stuff!” Julie chimed up as she pushed herself up off the floor. “We tried to when you were doing the paperwork, but we realized we didn’t know where you wanted us to put all the stuff from the storage unit.” The pair had rented a storage unit in the city for the offseason so that Alyssa didn’t have to haul all the furniture back to KC, not that there was a place for it at their house. While they had been driving, Vanessa and Michele had gotten the Red Stars group together and loaded it all up in a U-Haul. Christen and Julie had wanted to help, but someone needed to be at the airport to pick up Andi. The surprise was well worth it.

The group made their way to the back elevator and headed down to the vehicles. Everyone broke up into teams of 2-3 and started unloading the large furniture and bins that had been packed away. Luckily, the freight elevator was large enough to hold the queen-sized mattress along with Danny and Vanessa. No one wanted to run up 14 flights of stairs in preseason. The group took their time and did their best to make sure no one got stuck doing all the heavy lifting. Though it did take Michele, JJ, and Alyssa to move the couch. It was old and grey, but it was still comfy to doze on and it was long enough for Alyssa to fully stretch out on. That didn’t make it easier to move, but any complaints were silenced with a look from the goalkeeper. Becky made sure to have lighter loads for the three women the next few rounds.

When all was moved in, the 7 women collapsed on the center of the living room floor. Andi and Alyssa were leaning on the couch. Sam had crawled into the armchair. Becky splayed in the middle of the floor to cool off on the hardwood. Vanessa and Danny were perched on bins next to the windows to catch a breeze. Michele sat on the empty entertainment system. Julie was on the cool tile of the kitchen and Christen was perched on the center island. All of them could use a shower and a nap (in that order) but all of Alyssa’s belongings had been moved. Danny started laughing, drawing everyone’s attention.

“What’s got you cracking up short stuff?” Sam asked.

“We are all professional soccer players and moving one of us into an apartment wore us out.” She spits out between chuckles. The irony of it makes the others start laughing. They should be in better shape than this.

“Good thing it is preseason, huh?” Michele drawls.

“For some of you.” Christen sighed as she held her ribs. “For us it is another year long season.”

“Fair point. We are all tired for different reasons.” Michele conceded.

“Food would help. Someone want to order it before we all fall asleep?” Julie’s voice was muffled by the tile.

“Sure JJ, I am on it.” Becky pushed herself up off the floor and padded off to the bedroom to find her phone. She had plugged it when they were moving as the navigation from KC to Chicago had almost killed it. She called the local Dominos and placed an order for several pizzas, breadsticks, and a couple of two liters. The alcohol was already in the fridge, so it would be cold when the food came.  
While she was gone, Christen turned on the counter and looked at Alyssa.

“Not sleeping well Lys?”

“Huh? Why do you ask?” Alyssa shook herself out of the daze she was in and looked over at the forward.

“You are falling asleep on Andi and those are some serious bags under your eyes. Is everything ok with you and Becks?”

“Yeah Chris we are great.” Alyssa tried to give a small smile. “I’m just ready to start camp.”

“You sure?” The forward’s kind green eyes almost had Alyssa talking before she remembered that several of her teammates were around. She trusts the women, but opening her soul to that many people at once was not something the goalkeeper ever wanted to do.

“Yeah Chris. Thanks though.” Alyssa managed a smile before turning to look at Vanessa.

“How was Australia? I saw you killing it with Perth.” She needed to get the attention off her.

“Oh, it was amazing. Mautzy and I had the best time. They had us live together and we were right next to Nikki and Sam, so we had someone to do Thanksgiving and such with. It is a different league than here, more physical than the NWSL in some respects, but it is a nice change of pace. They paycheck didn’t hurt either.”

“Nice. I didn’t know you two were so close to them. It seems like you found your scoring boots again too.”

“Yeah after hitting the post all last season, I finally could start putting them on frame again. They encouraged us to shoot more rather than feed the ball to the forwards. No offense Chris.”  
“None taken V. It would be nice if Rory’s game plan wasn’t always get me the ball. You guys are talented enough to shoot on your own. You won’t hear me yell at you if you want to crack one from distance.” Christen reassured the midfielder. 

“Thanks Chris.” Vanessa smiled at the older woman and yawned.

“Don’t do that.” Danny mumbled before copying Vanessa’s yawn. “You will get us all doing it.”

“Can’t help it.” Vanessa grumbled.

“Pizza is ordered.” Becky announced to the group upon her return. “They said it should be here in half an hour.” She made her way to the couch and curled up on it behind her girls.

“Awesome. You got a DvD player or something we could hook up to throw something on until it is here?” Michele asked. “Or I think we will all be snoring by the time it arrives.”

“Yeah. We have one of the Xbox consoles in the electronics bin. Get the TV hooked up and I will fetch it.” Alyssa told the back up before hauling herself to her feet. 

She ventured off to retrieve from a box in the bedroom. Michele grabbed the TV and began hooking it up while Andi dug through the box of DVDs to find something for them to watch. Christen hopped off the table and made her way to sit next to Becky.

“Hey.” She whispered. “Is everything ok with Lyssa? She seems more tired than usual. I asked her about it but all she would say is that she is ready to start camp.”

“She isn’t sleeping well.” Becky confided in the brunette. “I can’t tell you more than that – it is her tale to share. But if you want to, inviting her to one of your yoga and meditation mornings may help.” She wanted Alyssa to have fellow teammates to lean on, but wouldn’t betray the trust she had just gained. If Alyssa felt safe enough to tell them, she would, the defender concluded.

“I can definitely do that.” Christen winked at the defender before straightening up. Andi, wondering what the pair was up to after selecting the Tin Man for the group to watch, sat down right in front of Becky and tilted her head up.

“Everything ok mom?”

“I will tell you later honey.” Becky promised the young midfielder. Andi nodded slowly, her curiosity now peaked. She would hold her mom to that promise.

Alyssa returned with the custom hunter green Xbox One that Becky had spray-painted for her as a Christmas gift. The goalkeeper gingerly set it on the first row of her entertainment system and fed the cords up for Michele to connect. The two women got it hooked up and powered on quickly. Vanessa hit play on the matching controller once Andi had popped the disc in.

Alyssa stayed close to her family once the food arrived. Andi noticed that Becky watched Alyssa eat, smiling when she grabbed a second round of pizza. The group made small talk but mostly got caught up in finishing the storyline before they all crashed. They successfully made it through 2 of the 3 parts before Danny couldn’t stop yawning.

“I think I should get this one home.” Vanessa gestured to the small midfielder who was cuddled into her side. “Sofia will be here in the morning and Danny won’t want to miss it.”

“Alright V. Thanks for all the help today. Let the group know when you two are home.” Alyssa smiled tiredly.

As Vanessa shifted Danny onto her back, others took that as their cue to leave. Alyssa and Becky made sure to thank them all for their help – the day would have been much longer without them. Michele helped Vanessa to the elevator while Sam ordered a Lyft for them all. The five remaining women waved goodbye and watched their friends go.

“I guess we should head to bed too.” Julie managed to say as she yawned. 

“I think that is a good idea considering your eyes won’t stay open.” Christen said.

“Thank you both for the help.” The five women exchanged hugs.

“Of course, Lys. Anytime.” Christen locked eyes with the goalkeeper for a moment until Alyssa looked away. Julie tugged her away down the hall to their own door and managed to get it unlocked before stumbling inside. Andi giggled as the door closed.

“That was a trip.”

“It was kiddo. I think we should head to bed ourselves.” Becky slipped an arm around Andi’s shoulders. “Morning will come earlier than we expect, and you wanted to go explore Chicago.”  
“Ok.” Andi took Alyssa’s hand and pulled the women inside with them.

They dug through their small, packed bags and found pajamas for the night. They thought briefly about showering, before Alyssa mumbled something about falling asleep in the shower and injuries. The blonde agreed with her. Andi took a quick one while they prepped the air mattress for her. When the brunette midfielder got out of the shower, she found her parents snoring away on their bed. Becky was curled tightly into Alyssa’s side, glasses askew on her face. Andi carefully slipped them off before tucking the blanket tighter around them.

“Night mom. Night dad.” She whispered.

Andi maneuvered her way to the air mattress against the bedroom wall and fell into it. The shower had made her even more tired if possible and how she just wanted to sleep. Her last thought before drifting off was to ask Becky tomorrow about what was going on with Alyssa. She wanted to help her dad any way she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here is Chapter 12! I really wanted to get this finished for you all before my best friend got into town to visit, so sorry if it isn't fully edited - I will go back through it sometime next week. What did you think of Alyssa's surprise, will it help her? As always, I love to know what you think. Leave your thoughts below while I ruminate on where I want the next chapter to go - it might be time for some Shiba tourney.  
> -Red


	13. SheBelieves - USWNT v Germany

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The USWNT play their first game of the tournament against a revamped German side.

“Ready love?” Becky had again weaved her way through the tunnel to where Alyssa was waiting to walk out behind Carli.

“Yeah I think so. I hope so.” Alyssa nodded her head in an attempt to bolster her self-confidence.

“You have this. Remember Jill wanted you to start this game. She chose you over Ash because she thinks you will do better against this German team. We watched the footage and Graeme helped you get ready. Let’s go kick their ass.” Becky spoke quietly in the tunnel. She knew her fiancé had to get out of her own head and focused on the match.

“Yes dear.” Alyssa gave a shy smile before stealing a kiss.

“That’s my keeper.” Becky winked at her, making Alyssa blush as the German team started to make their way into the tunnel. “You know that Allie, Casey, and I will have your back. We are going to win this tournament again. You can bet we will celebrate when we get home.”

“Ok love.” Alyssa was shaking her head as Becky walked back to her place behind Sammy Mewis. The blonde had been true to her word and been up to help her through any nightmares she had. They weren’t rooming together, so the two were forced to settle for texting under the covers. Neither woman wanted to disturb their roommate. It wasn’t the best, but it helped calm Alyssa enough so that she could get a few hours of sleep.

Becky was trying to ignore the pressure in the back of her mind. They had to win this game. After getting knocked out of the Olympics to Sweden, everyone inside and outside the team was questioning if they were still one of the best in the world. Jill had forced some out, shaken up the line ups, and brought in new faces. Now they all had to show that it worked (even if they didn’t fully believe that it did). She also felt the pressure for Alyssa’s sake. Her lover needed a big win in a major tournament against a top tier opponent. This was her chance. If they didn’t win, Becky feared what would happen. But she couldn’t be concerned with it now. For the next 90+ minutes, she had to focus on the game in front of her. That was the best way to ensure the happiest outcome.

The teams finish lining up. The refs took their place at the front and the kid escorts were handed out. They all walked out of the tunnel to a roaring crowd at Talon Energy Stadium. There were a few German fans in the corner of the stadium, but it was 98% USA supporters. The American Outlaws were already on their feet and chanting. It was game time.

Carli again took her place in the center circle for the pre-game ceremonies while Jill gave the rest of the starting line-up some last-minute instructions. They were starting the game in a 3-4-1-2 formation. The backline was again Casey, Allie, and Becky. The midfield was composed of Crystal, Morgan Brian, Sammy and Tobin. Carli was tucked up underneath the strikers, somewhere between the midfield and the forwards. Christen and Amy started up top. Another experimental line-up, but their coach was determined to test it against the best. Right now, that was Germany.

Upon Carli’s return, the team was informed that they had kickoff and were attacking left to right. Everyone nodded and got last minute checks in before taking the field. Becky slipped her arm around Alyssa’s shoulder as the defense huddled up.

“Alright, we have a big one today. Casey, don’t get caught up to far. You’ve been doing good, but they have pace down the wings and Tobin won’t be much help on defense. Allie, you know that you have to stay sharp. They can shoot from anywhere close to the 18. Close them down fast. Becky, don’t drift out too far. They will try to pull us out of shape.” Alyssa was in the moment and focused. Now was about her performance on the field. A good chunk of that was determined by how well her defense played. 

“Can do Lys.” Casey nodded at her fellow Red Star. She was just as nervous about the big game. It was her first start against a serious opponent. She needed to prove she belonged on the squad.  
“I got you.” Allie nodded at the other three women in the huddle. She knew she had a lot to do still to prove she could be a defender. She was trying, and she would give it her all. She always did.  
“Call me out if I do.” Becky responded to Alyssa’s warning. She doubted she would, but now was not the time to start nitpicking. They had a big game to win.

The four women clasped hands and nodded before going to take their separate spots on the field. The rest of the team was lined up. It was time to play. The center ref confirmed the start time, blew her whistle, and the game began.

Immediately, the game was different from the start. This was no friendly, where you can tease an opponent out of shape and try some new formations and players who need minutes get them. This was a tournament game. A game both teams wanted to win for very different reasons. The US wanted to prove they were still a powerhouse in the women’s game. The Germans desired to show the world they were back on top of things and planned to stay there. The pedal was pushed and pushed hard from the get go.

Both teams came out swinging, flying up and down the pitch to get shots on frame. After Shultz sent a long ball down the left side, Alyssa saw that Casey was going to get burned. She was a half a step behind Popp and that half step would make all the difference in the German attacking sequence.

“Long get back!” Alyssa yelled, trying to pull her center-back closer to her to shut off the angle of the German shot. Becky had the angle from second striker covered.

Allie did her best to get back, but she didn’t have the pace required. Alyssa got set and watched Popp draw closer, the ball at her feet. For a moment, the goalkeeper froze. Her dream was playing out in her head. Here comes the German attacker, and she is going to shoot far post because Alyssa has the near post shut down. She knows it, can read it in the striker’s game. But her feet are frozen.  
‘This cannot be happening. No. No!’ Alyssa screamed at herself in her head, willing her feet to move.

By the grace of God, she pushed off at the last moment and fully extended, parrying Popp’s shot away to the feet of Becky. The defender cleared the ball up the field before turning to her goalkeeper and smiling, giving her a discreet thumb up. As far as she knew, Alyssa had made a beautiful save, unaware of the mental terror the goalkeeper felt only moments before.

The goalkeeper felt her spirit perk ever so slightly. She had overcome the nightmare – she had blocked Popp’s shot. Surely if she could do it once, she could do it again. And Becky was proud of her for making a good play. She heard faintly the cheers from the crowd as she made it. Alyssa was still in this game. It was their skills that would keep them in this. None of the defense expected it to be a high scoring game. One goal would make all the difference. Hopefully, the US would get one first.

The game slowed a bit as defenses settled in and midfields had to start trying to stretch lines. Alyssa kept her back three tight, wary of them getting pulled out of position with Popp’s pace. She was a lot like Alex, she loved getting in behind lines and going 1-v-1 with goalkeepers. That did not need to happen again, not if she could prevent it.

For strikers, nothing was going on target. Shots were skied over or wide by both sides. Christen and Amy were doing their best, but they had only put 1 shot on target. Mittag had managed to blast one from distance that Alyssa was able to gather easily, reading the curve the whole way. It was a terse affair as the half-time whistle blew.

Both teams headed straight to the locker rooms. Neither side was happy with a 0-0 at the half. Alyssa slid her gloves off before grabbing the water bottle in her locker. Becky stood next to her while the rest of the team formed a circle around Jill. She praised their defensive efforts and chastised the midfield, wanting them to get forward more. Both women made sure to keep their faces stoic while she spoke even though they disagreed with her approach. They would have to adapt as always.

Jill made no substitutions at half time, but told A-rod that she had 15 minutes before she was pulled for Lynn. The blonde nodded and jogged to discuss strategy with Christen. She was desperate to show everyone that she could still play after giving birth the second time – she needed a goal. Andi wound her way to the defense and tapped Becky’s shoulder. The blonde spun around and smiled.  
“Hey kiddo. We have to get back out there.”

“I know. Just wanted to say good luck this half.” Andi glanced around and spotted Alyssa talking with Ash about strategy further up the tunnel. She dropped her voice. “Dad seems really nervous.”

“I know. But remember what I told you, we must be there and supportive no matter what. This is a huge game for Lys.” Becky whispered back. The two had chatted briefly about what was troubling the goalkeeper when they had a few moments alone. The young woman had promised Becky should would keep talking to Alyssa. Andi felt it was the least she could do after Alyssa always comforted her, no matter the time of day or what she was doing.

“Right. Just saying, it hasn’t worked out yet. Keep pumping her up.”

“I will kid.” Becky squeezed her shoulder then jogged out of the tunnel. It was go time.

The teams lined back up and the game was off again. The USWNT put the peddle to the meddle and pushed hard up the flanks, trying to not let Germany gain meaningful possession up the middle. At the 58th minute, Crystal dummied her defender and floated in a beautiful cross towards the back post. Christen rose and got a head on it, trying to keep it in play. Amy was crashing the box and managed to get a half-foot on the ball to redirect it past Shultz.

Becky and Alyssa shouted for joy with the goal as Amy ran to Christen and hugged her tight before pointing at Crystal. They had scored on the Germans and put the team up a goal – things were finally starting to go right.

Before kickoff to restart the match, Amy was subbed off to thunderous applause for Lynn. Jill even patted her shoulder and congratulated her on the goal as she made her way to the bench. Lynn raced to the center field and took her place next to Christen. Popp kicked off, and the game was back underway.

The Americans started playing more cohesive after Amy’s opening goal. The Germans came down the field pushing hard, but the defense held, mostly. Alyssa found her feet a beat off to move to make a save, but she still managed to keep the ball out of her own net. Lynn and Christen pushed forward, wanting another goal to seal the German’s fate.

Despite their pushing, the final whistle blew with the score still 1-0 for the USA. Alyssa, relieved that she kept a clean sheet against a top side, sank down near the top of her 6-yard box. Despite her moment of sheer terror, they had pulled off a win.

“Hey! We won!” Becky stopped close to Alyssa and extended a hand. The goalkeeper accepted it and let her fiancé pull her to her feet.

“Yeah we did.” She sighed in relief as Becky pulled her to her feet and into a hug. “We beat the Germans.”

“Hell yeah, we did.” Becky kissed her softly before pulling away. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.” Alyssa blushed at the praise and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. Becky didn’t know about her moments of frozen terror.

“HEY WE WON!” Andi screamed in Alyssa’s ear as she jumped on the back of the goalkeeper. Alyssa almost fell forward, but steadied herself in time.

“Yeah we did Andi.” She was grateful for the bubbling distraction of her kid. She caught the questioning look in Becky’s eyes at her reaction to her praise.

“I mean I didn’t get to play but still! We won!” She grinned widely at the blonde from atop her perch.

“That is very true. Now get down before you give Lys a back spasm.”

“Yes mom.” Andi grumbled good naturedly before hopping down. The three women exchanged hugs and started walking towards the rest of the group. They had won their first game of the tournament. A good start.

\---

Back in the hotel room once post-game festivities had finished, Alyssa lay curled into Becky’s side. The pair were in Alyssa’s room, Casey having gone to hang out with Lynn and Christen. The older woman carded her hand through Alyssa’s damp locks, gently massaging her scalp.

“Sweetheart?”

“Yeah Lys?” Becky glanced down to meet Alyssa’s green eyes.

“During the game…my…my nightmare. It almost came true.”

“The one where you are frozen in goal? When?” The blonde made sure she kept her voice calm.

“The first shot they had. From Popp. I was tracking it, I knew that Casey was going to get burned and Allie wouldn’t get back in time. I knew the angle that Popp would strive for and try to hit. I saw her take the shot. And for eternity, my feet wouldn’t move. I could see the ball hitting the back of the net and the nightmare coming true. I prayed for God’s grace to move my feet. And by His grace, they did move. I made the save. But for that moment, I couldn’t move. I locked up. I shouldn’t be doing that at this scale. I can’t afford to miss a moment. That is how goals get scored. No one will remember the saves if a goal is conceded.” Alyssa couldn’t meet her lover’s eyes as she spoke her heart. She buried her face in Becky’s chest, seeking the comforting, steady beat of her heart.

“Oh honey…” Becky tightened her grip and placed a gentle kiss on the top of Alyssa’s head. She wanted to look into Alyssa’s eyes when she spoke, but she couldn’t get the goalkeeper to lift her head.

“What you have to remember is that your feet did move. Yes, you froze for a split second, but then your feet moved, you made your dive and the save. You saved that shot. Not Casey, not Allie, not myself, you did. And every save after that, you made. We didn’t concede a goal. So, the next game you play, against England or France, you will move a little faster. And you will make that save. You will keep making saves. I know you will. And if we concede a goal, it will be terrible. We will replay that moment over and over and analyze what we could have done differently. But Lys, you have to remember that we all do that. You aren’t the only one. And that night, if the nightmare gets worse, I will be there. I am always going to be there for you. If that means I pull rank and use the captain’s keycard to get into your room, I will. You will defeat this.”

“When you say it, I almost believe it.” 

“Then I will keep saying it until you fully believe it.” Becky kissed Alyssa’s head again as the goalkeeper snuggled in closer. “You can count on it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is unedited, so all mistakes are mine. I know it has been a while, and I wanted to get this out for y'all. Let me know what you think.  
> -Red


	14. USWNT v England Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team gathers themselves after a tough draw with England.

To say no one from the USWNT was happy after their game against England was an understatement. The defense had cracked at the last few moments and Ashlyn had failed to make a save, letting England salvage a point. Suddenly, their chances at winning the tournament were dim. The bus ride back to the hotel was quiet, everyone trapped in their own thoughts or not wanting to break the silent tension that had settled over the group.

When the bus pulled up to the front of the hotel, Carli stood up before anyone could get off and cleared her throat. As captain, she felt it was her place to say something. Anything to help turn the page so they could regroup and focus on the game against France.

“Hey gals…I know the game didn’t go the way we wanted. We fought hard and held on until almost the very end. Sometimes, that happens. It doesn’t happen very often to us, I know, and I think that is why we are struggling here. But there are things we have to remember. We have a lot of new faces – those take time to integrate in and build chemistry between the lines. We are playing some of the top teams in the world. If we make mistakes, they will capitalize on them – and we attempt to do the same. We are playing in a new formation. That takes games to adjust to and adapt to new responsibilities. So yeah, we tied England. It was bound to happen. So let’s go get some grub, rest up, and then watch some tape to get ready for France. We still have one game ahead of us. We can still win this tournament.” Carli spoke with the firm conviction of a veteran who had been a daunting tournament road many times before. She knew the challenge and had full faith in the team to overcome it, as long as she could instill that confidence in the rookies of the team.

“You’re right Car.” Tobin piped up from the middle of the bus. “This game result sucks guys. Sometimes a tie hurts more than a tie. But we still have a game to play. And I for one do not want to lose to France. So, let’s go get some grub and then hit the bed before we travel tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, food always make things better.” Pinoe had stood up in the front. “Lead the way cap, I’m starving.” As if on cue, her stomach let out a loud gurgle.

The tension on the bus eased as several players laughed at Pinoe’s stomach. They all stood and grabbed their things before filing off the bus and heading through the small group of fans gathered outside the hotel to the elevators. The veterans were right. It was time to put it behind them and the best way to do that was with food.

\--

“Ash you can’t beat yourself up too much. It happens. There are good shots we don’t save.” Alyssa was doing her best to comfort her fellow goalkeeper. Ash felt the tie fell solely on her shoulders for not stopping the last goal. Alyssa knew how she felt. Goalkeepers always felt the blame for anything other than a win.

“Yeah that doesn’t make me feel any less shitty. I had a decent backline and still couldn’t stop that one damn shot.” Ash swore as she reached for her drink. “There is no way in hell I am going to play against France now.”

“You don’t know that.” Alyssa countered. “We never know what coach will do.”

“Yeah…you’re right.” Ash sighed and took a long drink then wiped her lip with the back of her hand.

“I mean for all we know she could decide to cap Jane.” Alyssa watched as Ashlyn’s eyes opened wide.

“No… I mean do you really think she would do that to her? Against France? Especially this France?” Ash shook her head and looked around to make sure Jane wasn’t near. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Jane and she has loads of potential but that would just be cruel. No matter which of us plays, it will be a battle.”

“No kidding.” Alyssa snorted and leaned back in the booth, eyes finding Becky for a moment across the diner. “A lot of it will depend on who the three back is. Yours today seemed to hold up until Jill made those subs.

“Yeah, they did.” Ash nodded in agreement. “Hopefully whoever of us is playing will get it. But I wouldn’t count on it. There is a reason they were rotated.”

“Ugh Ash we are trying to stop being upset. Stop making it worse.” The brunette sighed as the blonde shrugged her shoulders.

“Sorry Lys.” The two women shook their heads at the thought of the France game coming up and finished their meal. 

Their two defenders joined them when they had finished eating, content to let the keepers talk by themselves. It wasn’t long before they were piling back on the bus with the rest of the team. Full and feeling slightly better about their prospects against France, they headed back to their hotel.

Most managed smiles for the few committed fans who were still gathered outside the hotel and signed their soccer balls before getting inside. Elevators were crammed as everyone was eager to get to their rooms and rest before hopping on a plane in the early morning.

Alyssa walked Becky to her door and gave her a gentle kiss. Becky wrapped her arms around her and refused to let go, burying her face in fiance's neck. She loved tournaments, but she hated sleeping away from Lys. Being a captain meant she couldn’t break the rules, no matter how much she wanted to.

“We really need to get some sleep honey. I promise I will text you if I have a nightmare.” Lys kissed the top of Becky’s head. “But curfew is in 10 minutes and you know Jill will be stalking the halls.”

“Yeah I know.” Becky muttered. “I just want to spend as much time with you as I can before we have to part ways for the season.”

“And how am I supposed to respond to something as sweet as that?” Alyssa snorted and leaned back so she could see Becky’s face.

“You aren’t. That’s the point.” Becky retorted, unwinding one of her hands to cradle her goalkeeper’s face. “If things get too bad, let me know. I mean it.”

“I will sweetheart. Go get some rest and I will meet you for breakfast.” Alyssa sealed the deal with a kiss and unwound the defender from her.

She stayed in the hallway until Becky was safely inside and padded down to her own room. She waved to Morgan Brian and gathered her clothes to change for bed. A quick trip to the bathroom and Alyssa had crawled into bed. Morgan was already snoring softly.

Before she dozed off, Alyssa looked at her phone and saw she had 1 unread message from Becky.

**Broon: Try to get some rest and think positive thoughts about the France game. Jill has every reason to start you**

Alyssa took a moment and thought about how to respond before she sent her message. 

**Ninja: I will do my best. I don’t want to get my hopes up about playing France. Let’s just wait to see what Jill tells us. I love you. Goodnight.**

The goalkeeper tucked her phone under her pillow and tried to get comfy. She really didn’t want to think about playing in the France game. While it would show that Jill has confidence in her playing style and likes her, it could also end badly. Sure France has a history of spectacularly crashing out of tournaments, but traditions and history have to change at some point. She wasn’t sure if she could handle getting crushed by France and facing the accompanying backlash. Maybe Ash would play, not that Alyssa would wish that on Ash either. Frankly she thought there was no good outcome as long as they were playing without a full-strength defense.

Needless to say, her nights rest was not nearly as restful as Alyssa hoped it would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not super long, but I felt bad for making y'all wait so long for a new chapter. I promise the next one will be better. Let me know what you think.  
> -Red


	15. SheBelieves Cup - USWNT v France

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last game of the tournament and the 3-back demise.

“Come on Lys. Get out of your own head. Goals happen. We still have a lot of game left.” Becky told Alyssa, cradling her head in her hands. “We can still win this. PK’s happen. We have your back.” 

“Yeah. Right. Ok. Let’s go.” Alyssa nodded, and Becky let go, stepping back to take in the goalkeeper. She still looked upset, but her eyes had refocused on the task in front of them.

There were still 80 minutes or so left in this game. They had come back from goal deficits before, even against big name teams like France. If she could keep them from scoring again, the offense would have a chance to tie the game up. All her and the defense had to do was give them that chance.

The game restarted, and in a flash, France was back down the field again. Her three back of Becky, Allie, and Casey were doing their best to contain them. Casey got burned by Le Sommer on the left. Alyssa knew she wouldn’t catch her. She saw Becky swinging back on the right towards goal. Allie wouldn’t swing over fast enough to prevent Le Sommer from getting a shot off. So, Alyssa rushed off her line. She had to close the angle and force a tough shot.

Le Sommer ripped one with her left foot. Alyssa stretched and managed to get her fingertips on it. She couldn’t keep the ball out. It spun towards goal. Becky ran her best to get to it, but she couldn’t reach it in time. France scored again, in the 9th minute. 

The goalkeeper banged her fist on the turf, frustrated with her performance in the opening minutes. It felt like nothing was going right. First giving up the PK, and now this. She shouldn’t be playing against France, who was she kidding. She wasn’t ready for this no matter what Jill or Graeme thought. Everyone was seeing what she already feared. She wasn’t ready to play the big teams at the international levels. Maybe she would never be. Why else would she have not gotten a cap until 2015?

“Alyssa!” It was Carli who was trying to get her attention. “Lys we are still in this. Let’s go!” The goalkeeper’s head snapped up and she nodded. It would do no good to zone out now. She didn’t think Jill would pull her before half time – she had to keep it at 0-2 for the rest of the first half. No matter what. She looked out to the downfall faces of Casey and Allie and the stone face of Becky.

“We hold here. No more screw ups. Becky swing inside. Allie take the right. Don’t let up. Run them down. Formations be damned, she was going to format her defense to give them a fighting chance. Jill can yell at halftime.

The two made the switch as the game restarted. France, now sitting on a 2-goal lead, wasn’t satisfied. They threw everything forward, wanting to crush the Americans in front of a home crowd. The American midfield collapsed, with no real direction or sense of purpose they were sliced apart by France’s passing. The cheering crowd focused in on the defense, attempting to rally them to hold strong.

And the defense held. With Becky shifted to center back, she could instinctively cover Allie and Casey. Alyssa stayed back on her line, playing more conservative after getting burned twice early on. She made a few good reactions saves and yelled herself hoarse trying to get the team to play good defense. By the skin of their collective teeth, the whistle blew at half with the score still 0-2. Alyssa couldn’t be more grateful. She grabbed her towel and water bottle before following the defense in. Her fiancé slowed her pace, allowing she could walk with her.

“How are you holding up?” She spoke quietly, not wanting to grate on Alyssa’s nerves nor draw the attention of their teammates.

“Rough half.” Alyssa mumbled as she shrugged. “Thought we ended ok. No idea what happened the first 10 minutes.”

“Yeah I don’t have an answer for that one either.” Becky nudged her. “But we turned it around. Now the offense just has to bail us out.”

“Yeah I am not counting on it.” Alyssa sighed before smiling when she saw Ash and Jane waiting for her in the tunnel.

“Go on.” Becky smiled in understanding and let the keeper go. The two women threw an arm around her and walked her inside. Grateful they weren’t in her shoes.

They congregate in a corner of the tunnel for a moment, sharing words only meant for the three of them to hear. Becky waits outside the locker room, grateful to see Alyssa’s shoulders perk up a little when Ash pats her back. Keepers rally each other, and the blonde is grateful. Their game mindset is different than a field player – she doesn’t always know what to say.

Jill spoke at halftime, trying to rally the troops. They all listened and tried to take heart in her words, but it was difficult. With no working midfield, their attacks have run up the flanks. France had caught on and had pulled their wingbacks into a defensive position so that Megan and Rose were constantly being double teamed. Her answer was to sub in Mal for Rose and Crystal for Christen – throwing everything they could out wide. Carli locked eyes with Becky and both women shared a discreet shake of the head. They didn’t like it, but they would do their best to rally the troops and bounce back.

Before Jill lets them go, she looks at Allie and tells her to make sure she is the center-back in the 3-man defense. Allie’s only reply is curt nod. She doesn’t trust herself to say anything.

They take the field for the second half and immediately try to go on the offensive. Sitting on a two-goal lead, France is comfortable to drop deep and attempt to burn them on the counter attack. Christen manages to put a shot on frame, but it is comfortably saved by Gerard. The goalkeeper sends the ball on a dime to Perkiest, who flew down the flank.

She floated a cross into Abily, who made no mistake. Abily cut inside of Allie and sent a spinning shot into the lower left corner. Alyssa dove for it and missed it by a thread. France scored, and was now winning by a firm 3 goals.

Again, the frustrated goalkeeper threw her first into the ground. They had things under control, until Jill forced them to switch formations. And they had conceded a third goal. She had conceded a third goal. Miserable, she glanced over at the side line and was shocked Jill didn’t have Ashlyn or Jane warming up on the side lines. Shaking her head, she forced herself to stand up. Misery would do her no good. It would have to wait until after the game was over. Anger was her only other option.

“Not. One. More.” The force in her voice shocked the defense, who had gathered round to make sure Alyssa was alright. “I don’t care what it takes. We cannot concede again.” The slight waver at the end of her tone told Becky volumes. This beating was rough, and Alyssa had taken about all that she could.

“She’s right. We can’t. We are going to switch back. I will take the heat from Jill, Allie. But it worked for us in the first half and we need it to work here.”

“On it.” Allie nodded, and the four women headed back into position to get ready to play.

Before the game could restart, Jill made a double substitution. Alex came on for Lynn Williams to boost the attack in an attempt to get a goal on the board. Julie subbed in for Morgan Brian. She pushed Allie up to the midfield and slotted in next to Becky. The game began once more.

France sat back and weathered any attempt the US made to get forward. Allie tried to orchestrate something but was swarmed by French players any time she tried. Alex was growing frustrated and kept calling for balls. The team as a whole was out of sorts. They weren’t connecting simple passes and couldn’t keep possession for more than a minute at a time. The defense scrambled to defend on the counter, with Julie making a few key crunching tackles to give Becky and Casey time to recover.

When the whistle blew, France was elated. They had won the tournament. The USWNT was broken. Players sunk to the ground in disbelief and frustration. They had gotten thoroughly thumped by France and crashed out of their own tournament. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Jane walked over to the slumped keeper and plopped down next to her, offering a Gatorade bottle.

“Drink up.” Wisely, she chose not to say more.

Alyssa took the offered bottle and took a short drink, her mind racing as, like every other member of the squad, she tried to figure out where exactly their game plan went off the rails.  
“That was…” Andi searched for words as she pulled Becky to her feet.

“Terrible.” Becky responded frankly before sighing. “There is no other word for it kiddo. We stunk. The sooner we all start accepting and processing it, the sooner we rebuild from this.”

“I just never thought…I mean we always used to find a way.” She watched the veteran, eager for some insight on how to deal with the seemingly impossible.

“That team…that team was something special. We are something different, something new. We will find our own way, in time. You also have to remember that the rest of the world is catching up to us.” The blonde rolled her shoulders. “The margins between the top teams are going to get even thinner. That means you have to find what works for you and perfect it or strive to reach as close to perfection as your team can.”

“This…this can’t be it.” Andi spoke as she surveyed the downtrodden team.

“It isn’t. But Jill stuck with it until we saw that it couldn’t hold up against top tier competition.” As captain, Becky made sure she chose her words very carefully. “So now we will try something else. Maybe sorting out the midfield that has been out of sorts since Cheney stepped away. Maybe it will be finding a forward who can back up Chris and Lex. I honestly don’t know kid. What I do know is we need to comfort each other tonight. Because it is going to be dreary.”

“Right.” Andi nodded.

The pair started going around to their teammates. Hugs were exchanged, and token words of comfort were said. Everyone knew it was going to hurt, especially when they watched France lift the trophy. But they had each other, and that would get them through the night. Becky had let go of Casey to see that Alyssa had finally gotten up and was chatting softly with Amy.

“Hey you.” The blonde decided to join them and bumped her hip into Alyssa’s, discretely trying to judge her mood.

“Hey.” The goalkeeper slid an arm around Becky’s shoulder and gave her a side hug. Her voice was quiet and devoid of hope.

“Nice game Broon. Though you should never play outside back again. Just saying.” Amy’s comment drew a chuckle from Becky.

“Thanks, and yeah, I know, but I don’t always make the decisions. There is always next year.” 

“Mmhmm.” Amy agreed. “This is a rebuilding year.”

“Hmph. No kidding.” Alyssa snorted then sighed. “We should probably get to Jill’s huddle before she starts yelling.”

The trio made their way to the rest of the team and threw arms around each other’s shoulders. Jill stepped into the center of the circle. She turned slowly, making eye contact for a moment with every member of her squad.

“This was a rough tournament. We have several new players and we played in a new formation. You did everything I asked you to do, to the best of your ability. We are rebuilding, you must remember that. Don’t let this hang over you. This isn’t the team that won the World Cup. We are a new team, and with time we will be a better team.” Jill kept turning as she spoke. “So, pick your heads up, go to our fans, then head to the locker room. Ice baths tonight and recovery legs before you we have our final meeting tomorrow.”

“Yes coach.” Carli spoke up for the team. “Come on, they are all still waiting.” She stepped into the center and took a Sharpie from the bucket a staff member had placed there before Jill’s speech.

The veterans and rookies followed her lead. Making sure to spread out across the pitch, they went to the screaming fans. They plastered smiles as best they could on their faces while signing t-shirts and posters, and especially when taking selfies. They had the best fans in the world and they always showed up to support the team, win or lose. It was only fair they repay that loyalty.

Alyssa hit up a few fans then waved and headed back to the locker room. She knew she was one of the first, but she didn’t have the energy to keep faking the happiness. Safely away from the cameras, she slumped her shoulders and let out a heavy sigh. Everything Jill said in the huddle was true, but that didn’t make it any easier to bear at the moment. Her thoughts swarmed with how she played during the game, her faults on a highlight reel that she can’t seem to turn off. Weaving in-between staff, she grabbed her things and headed to the shower. Maybe that would help her clear her head.

“Hey Broon, where is your girl?” Lynn asked as they met up at a group of fans.

“Excellent question….” Becky glanced around the stadium. She spotted Ash and Jane, but no Alyssa. “I am going to ask Dawn if she saw where she went.” Working quickly, she scribbled her signature on the jerseys fans had hanging down.

“Alright.” Lynn gave her a warm smile and took the teenager’s phone for a selfie.

Becky waved goodbye to the group and wandered over to where Dawn was finishing up a conversation with Jill. The defender waited respectfully for them to finish before approaching the fitness trainer.

“What can I do for you Becks? Everything feeling alright?”

“As well as can be Dawn.” She always managed to put Becky at ease, no matter the circumstance. “Did you happen to spot where Lyssa went? She isn’t out with everyone else.”

“She headed into the locker room about 5 minutes ago.” Dawn gave her a kind smile. “I would follow her if I were you.”

“Thanks Dawn.” Becky gave her a small smile and did as she suggested. On her way to the locker room, she got stopped by a staff member.

“Becky, Lyssa’s family is looking for you two. They are out by the players entrance.”

“They’re here?” Becky looked at the woman in shock. “You’re sure.”

“Her twin is pretty hard to miss.” 

“Right. That’s great. Tell them we will be out as soon as we are showered.” Becky gave the woman a smile then rushed past her. She had to get to the locker room.

They had no idea that Alyssa’s family was coming in. They must have wanted to surprise Alyssa for her first major senior tournament where she got serious minutes. She wanted to get Alyssa to them as soon as she could – seeing Amanda and Abby, not to mention Judah, always cheered the keeper up. It was just what she needed to stop from spiraling into a funk.

“Lys? You in here?” Becky called as she entered the locker room. She saw the keeper’s gloves and cleats in her locker. “No, you’re in the shower.”

Becky quickly shed her own cleats and headed to the showers. The one at the end of the room was running and a pile of clothes outside the curtain. She had found her fiancée. She quickly discarded her own clothes and slowly stepped inside, not wanting to spook Lys and cause her to fall.

“Hey honey.” Lys murmured, her eyes shut as the water cascaded down her back. She had been standing there since the water got warm, attempting to let it wash away the stress and disappointment of the tournament.

“Hey. How did you know it was me?” The blonde smiled and cocked her head, even though she knew Alyssa couldn’t see her.

“I know the way you walk and who else would walk into my shower?”

“Both true points.” She conceded. “Want me to wash your hair?”

“In just a moment. This feels good on my shoulders.”

“I bet it does.” Becky smiled and grabbed what she would need from the caddy outside the shower.

Becky did her best not to rush Alyssa through her shower. She wanted her to be genuinely surprised when she saw her family. Normally she Skypes Amanda either on the bus ride back to the hotel or from her hotel room after dinner, so they should be in the clear there. She just had to make sure they didn’t get caught up in the locker room on the way to the bus. The team atmosphere was depressing, to say it kindly. That would do nothing positive for either of their moods and she knew Alyssa was already beating herself up. The sooner she could get her into a warmer environment, the better. She would bet on it.

Once clean, the two wrapped in warm towels and ventured back to the locker room. Most of their teammates are in the room by now, in various states of undress. A dampness hangs over the room, a chill they can’t shake. Becky takes in the room, noting the slumped shoulders and tear-stained cheeks. Without their fans around, the disappointment runs deep. She nudges Alyssa to have her get dressed before she clears her throat.

“Go shower. You all stink and a hot shower does wonders. We all know it. The dementors are hanging around us now and we all know that misery loves company. So, go wash the grime off. Pull your heads together and let’s put some distance between us and this stadium.” Deciding the few nods she gets is a good enough response, Becky heads to her locker and quickly dresses, wanting to stay warm.

Their bags were packed quickly. Alyssa was eager to get to the bus and talk to her family. Amanda always managed to put a positive spin on things, no matter how glum they seemed. Maybe Judah would still be up, and she could see him before she headed to bed. He always managed to make her smile – it would push away the darkness for a moment.

“Ready sweetheart?”

“Yeah.” Alyssa reached out and took Becky’s bag from her hand. The blonde smiled at the sweet gesture and the two hugged Andi tight before they left the locker room, promising she could sandwich between them on the bus.

They take off slowly down the hallway towards the bus. Becky gives Alyssa’s hand a gentle squeeze to get her attention. It takes the keeper a moment, but she snaps out of her own world to look at the blonde.

“Yeah?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Always.” Alyssa’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

“Just, follow me.” Becky tugged her down the small hallway adjacent to the exit for the bus. Alyssa’s brow remained furrowed, but she let Becky lead on.

“Becky where are we…Mom?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. I am finally happy with this chapter. It took me a while to figure out exactly how I wanted it to flow and portray what the team was feeling after that tough loss. What did you think? Will Alyssa's family help prevent her from sliding into a funk or will it only happen faster? Let me know - comments are fuel to write faster.  
> -Red


	16. Naeher Family Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becky and Alyssa head out to dinner with the Naeher family.

“Becky where are we…Mom?”

“Surprise sweetheart!” Donna Naeher hugged her oldest tight as she grinned. Alyssa was stunned for a moment, but readily hugged her mom back. This isn’t what she was expecting, not by a long shot.

“Good to see you Becky.” John hugged the blonde lightly, glad that the staffer had found the two women and told them they were waiting. The two women exchanged pleasantries then switched parents. Alyssa had just been let go by her dad when she felt another set of arms pull her into a hug.

“Hey twin.” Amanda’s voice, so like her own, was in her ear. She smiled into her shoulder and eagerly returned the hug.

“Hey. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Because twin.” Amanda chuckled as she pulled away. “It was a surprise. We all wanted to be here for the big tourney. Abby wanted to make it, but Judah got a nasty ear infection. He is on the mend, but she didn’t want to risk the travel.”

“Make sense.” Her mood is dampened slightly at news. She wanted to see the munchkin but understood that sick toddlers are terrible travelers.

“But we all made it!” Amanda sensed the mood change and immediately tries to swing things back to a positive.

“Yeah you did.” Alyssa can’t stop herself from grinning again. “I’m glad you could.”

“How did it feel to wear that number one jersey?” Amanda teased, knowing that Alyssa had been waiting for the opportunity ever since Hope had been removed from the team.

“It felt nice. Heavy in a way, but worth it.” Amanda nodded as Alyssa spoke. The two had been up several nights once Jill told her that it was hers to lose. Alyssa felt the weight of those legends who wore it before her and desired to live up to that standard.

“Can we take you out to eat honey?” Her mom prompted.

“Umm…you should be able to. Just follow us back to the hotel and we can leave from there.” US Soccer had a strict bus policy. Everyone on the team road the bus to the game and from the game to help foster unity or so they were told. It also helped them keep track of players and prevent them from being harassed.

“Alright. We will see you there then.” Hugs were exchanged once more before they left. Alyssa and Becky stood and watched them go, making sure security got them out with issues.

“We should get to the bus.” The blonde turned to leave and tugged Alyssa’s hand to get her to follow. “Andi will be waiting.”

“Right.” She let out a sigh as the reality of their loss blossomed again in her chest.

The two women headed back down the hallway and followed Lynn out to the bus. They took their usual seats towards the back and waited for Andy to join them. She boarded the bus, head held low and shoulders slumped. It broke both of their hearts. As much as the loss pained them, they knew it had to pain the young players more. The players who had joined the team with the image that they were unbeatable, especially after winning the world cup. Abby’s retirement game explained away as a fluke, the team desperate to get the forward one last goal before she left. But now? They no longer had the image of immortality. They were vulnerable. And the young ones felt that most of all.

“Come here kiddo.” Alyssa reached out, grabbed Andi around the waist, and pulled her down onto her lap. 

The brunette offered no resistance, swinging her legs inside so Carli could get past her. Becky took her bag and stored it under her seat with her own. Snuggling in deeper to Alyssa, Andi nestled her feet up against the blonde and did her best not to cry. A warm hand gently dried the stray tear that fell.

“It is ok to cry.” Becky whispered, leaning in close. “It hurts. We all wanted to do well in this tournament and we didn’t. We did badly and unfortunately with our line of work, the entire world witnessed it. Don’t hold it in. You can feel disappointed and upset. We’ve all been there at one point or another in our careers.”

Her words broke the carefully constructed damn Andi had built on her walk from the locker room. Fat tears rolled down her cheek and dampened Alyssa’s jacket. Alyssa held her close as Becky stroked her arm, both trying to comfort her as best they could.

Around the bus, similar actions were taking place with the various rookies. Tobin and Christen had Mal clinging to them for dear life, beating herself up for their second tournament loss since she joined the team. Julie was sniffling back tears as she sat next to her fellow Red Star Casey and tried to soothe her. Lynn was in the back with Carli, both focused intensely on their phones as they sought the comforting words of loved ones. The ride back was somber, with not even Kelley and Pinoe cracking jokes.

Once back at the hotel, the team clambered off the bus and packed elevators, desiring nothing more than to get back to their rooms. Once on their floor, Alyssa glanced down at Andi.

“Are you going to be alright if we go to dinner with my folks?”

“They’re in town?”

“Yeah. They surprised me and flew in for this last game.” They stopped outside of Andi’s door. The youngster heaved a sigh and dug for her room card.

“Yeah…I really just want to find a bite to eat from the bar downstairs and sleep. It can’t hurt as bad tomorrow, can it?”

“It might. But give it a few days and it will be less. Avoid reading any hot takes about it, they will only anger you. Stick with your friends and your family. Train hard when you get back to Stanford. And we try again in the next set of friendlies.” Becky kissed her forehead. “Food and a good night’s sleep will start the process.”

“She’s right.” Alyssa agreed. “Tonight is about taking care of yourself. If you want to grab food then soak in a tub, do it. If you would rather eat then sleep, do that instead. Curl up with a book if your mind won’t turn off. I know Becky gave you a few at the start of the tournament.”

“A book sounds nice.” Andi gave both women a hug. “We can do breakfast tomorrow, right?”

“Of course.” Becky promised. “You know we will be down early to work on our crossword.”

Andi nodded and headed into her room to wait for Crystal to return. Maybe they could go find food together. Alyssa and Becky joined hands then headed right back downstairs to find the Naeher family. Alyssa spotted them waiting in a small cluster of chairs near the front entrance of the hotel. The pair walked over and nudged Amanda.

“Ready to go get food?”

“You know us. We can always eat.” Amanda quipped as she rose. The three shared a chuckle and followed the family out to the van they had rented for the trip. Once piled inside, John began to drive towards the Chilean restaurant he made reservations at while they were waiting.

\---

“So, you are telling me that you didn’t have an idea that you were going to play in this game until last night?” Amanda stared at her twin in shock.

“Yup. Ash and I are both fighting for the #1 spot, and Jill said she would chose based on what the other coaches recommended and how she rated our performances in the first two games.”

“Woah twin look at you go. Obviously, you did well enough in the first game to stand out to earn the start.” Amanda gently bumped her twin’s shoulder.

“Yeah and look how it turned out.” Alyssa mumbled before shoving another bite of food in her mouth. Amanda leaned back and glanced at Becky who discreetly shook her head. Amanda got the clue and again nudged her twin.

“You got your head back in it after the first goal. You can’t stop them all, we all know it. You also showed heart from keeping your head in the game through it all. I saw you reorganize the defense, that was smart. Even if Jill didn’t agree, it helped you guys. You wouldn’t have done that last year.”

“Yeah…that’s true.” Alyssa conceded, knowing Amanda was right. She wouldn’t have. One of the parts of her game she was working on was her command of her box. 

“And it worked enough that Jill hasn’t bitched at us yet.” Becky reminded her. This earned a chuckle from both twins as Alyssa shook her head.

“You’re right about that. Though I bet it comes up in the next film session.”

“I find that highly improbable given she will have some new crazy formation for us to try.” Becky’s serious drawl had Amanda snorting pop out of her nose.

Alyssa patted Amanda’s back, trying to get the liquid out. The whole table was laughing as the poor woman rubber her nose, the carbonation making it burn. Amanda turned a slight pink from embarrassment, but it was worth it to see Alyssa crack up.

“The sad thing is.” She tried to say as she caught her breath. “Is that you are completely right Becky. What if she tries you as a forward next? Or Alyssa as a field player?”

“Umm… I don’t remember the last time I even was a field player.” Alyssa scratched the back of neck as she thought. “So, I don’t think that would go very well.”

“You would probably grab the ball or something and give up a free kick.” Amanda teased.

“Hey! I would not. I’ve gone up for corners and such. I know better than to use my hands.” Alyssa shot back. Donna and John shook their heads. They have seen this scenario play out a million times. It was best not to get in the middle of it.

“You go all teacher pose.” Becky snorts, glad to see her goalkeeper lightening up under the teasing of Amanda.

“Teacher pose? What’s that supposed to mean?” Green eyes swiveled around to meet blue orbs.

“Like what JJ does when she doesn’t want to give up a handball in the box. You put your hands behind your back and hold your wrist, so you don’t accidentally touch the ball. It’s the teacher pose.” Becky explained as she put her hands behind her chair, demonstrating what she meant.

“She’s right.” Amanda cackled. “That is the teacher pose!”

“Oh, shush you.” Alyssa gently kicked her twin under the table and took another bite of food. Amanda let out a light yelp as she fought to dry the tears leaking out of her eyes. The image was just perfect.  
“And keep laughing dear but I would put money down on Jill playing you somewhere other than a center-back sometime this year.”

“A friendly wager then?” Becky raised an eyebrow. “If Jill plays me out of position as a center-back, then I will do whatever you want for a week. But if I win, you have to take me to Powell’s out in Portland and give me your credit card to go book shopping.”

“Oooh.” Amanda and Donna covered their mouths, knowing that was a serious wager. Becky free in a bookstore is dangerous.

“Deal.” The pair shook on it as soon as Alyssa offered her hand. Becky wasn’t going to let her change her mind. Jill would have to be absolutely out of her mind to play her veteran center-back as anything other than a center-back.

“Now how about we order some desert?” John suggested.

“I have some room.” Amanda eyed the two footballers. “Can you two have dessert or is it strict diet time?”

“We can eat.” Becky confirmed. “It is still preseason and after that tourney, I believe chocolate in some form is required.”

“That settles it.” John flagged down the waiter and ordered dessert for the table.

\---

“You two get some rest. I know you fly back to Kansas and Chicago tomorrow to get into preseason. We will be back visiting before you know it.” Donna hugged the two women tight, not wanting to leave them so soon but knowing they had to.

“We will.” Becky promised, smiling before hugging John.

“Keep us posted on your flights.” He told them both.

“We always do dad.” Alyssa released her dad from the hug and went to her twin. 

The two wrapped in a tight embrace. Their parents and Becky looked on, not wanting to rush the moment. Amanda lowered her lips to Alyssa’s ear.

“Twin. I know things look rough right now ok. But stop trying to do it all alone. You know you can always call me and we can talk things through. If you don’t want to call me, call Becky. And if you are too stubborn to call her, please talk to someone in Chicago. We are all here for you – this is a big year for you. Let us help you get through it. Promise me. Or else I will fly in from Charlotte just to thump you.”

“I…I promise.” Alyssa was doing her best not to get choked up. She should have guessed Amanda knew more was going on than she was telling. She could always read her like an open book, no matter how hard Alyssa tried to hide what she was truly feeling.

“Good. I am going to hold you to it.” Amanda spoke with a smile as she slowly let go. “Now move and let me get some future sister love.”

“Haha.” Alyssa snorted but she did step aside so that Amanda could hug Becky. The two shared a hug.

Alyssa put her arm around Becky’s shoulders as the pair waved goodbye to her family. The blonde leaned into the embrace, watching the Naeher’s get into their van and head off towards their own hotel. Alyssa refused to move until they were out of sight. A small sigh escaped her as they turned to board an elevator.

“Everything ok? What did Amanda tell you?”

“Twin secret.” Alyssa called on their code of silence. Becky took the dodge for what it was but decided not to press. “I’m just tired is as all. It has been a long tourney and a very long day.”

“I am not going to argue.” She covered a yawn as they got off the elevator. “So let’s go lose the contacts, brush our teeth, and fall into bed.”

“Willing to break the rules now captain?” Alyssa teased as they walked towards her room.

“The tourney is over, and I want to share one last night with you before we go our separate ways. Jill already has enough to yell at us all for. Do you want to stand here and debate it, or do you want to let me into your room?” Becky crossed her arms and tilted her head, a smile teasing at her lips.

Alyssa didn’t answer, but instead fished out her room key and opened the door. Becky chuckled and walked inside.

“Wise decision. Hey Jules.” She greeted Alyssa’s roommate. Julie popped an ear bud out and waved at the pair. 

“Hey. You crashing with us tonight?”

“Yeah if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” She gave them a tired smile and went to pop her headphone back in.

“Tell Zach we said hey.” 

“Can do. Oh! KO dropped off your toiletry bag.” Julie pointed to the navy bag sitting on the desk.

“Awesome. Thanks Jules.” Becky took it and made her way to the bathroom. 

A moment later Alyssa joined her. Both women removed their contacts, brushed their teeth, and changed into comfy pjs. Dirty clothes were tossed in the corner to be retrieved in the morning and they retreated to Alyssa’s bed.

Becky was surprised when Alyssa pulled her close, wrapping her arms to rest comfortably right above the waistband of her borrowed shorts. Becky rested her hands on top of Alyssa’s threading them together. It was here she felt safe, and she was going to soak it in as long as she could. Alyssa was pleased to have Becky to hold on to for one last night before she returned to her empty apartment in Chicago.

“Comfy?” Becky questioned, fighting off sleep.

“Yeah. I’ve missed holding you.” Alyssa pulled her closer, wanting them as close as possible for the last night together.

“I’ve missed it too.” Becky confessed before snuggling down on a pillow. 

Before Alyssa could comment, both women were snoring. The tournament had taken its toll and their bodies demanded any rest they could get before the craziness of the NWSL season.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, what do you think so far? Alyssa is going to have to leave her rock in Becky and try to navigate a rough season with Chicago. Will she find someone to lean on? How will the wedding planning go over long distance? Will Becky be able to focus on FCKC with Alyssa being a semi-fragile state? As always, love hearing your thoughts on how things are going.   
> -Red


	17. Trouble at FCKC

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the end of the SheBelieves Cup, the USWNT players have returned to their NWSL club teams. Both Alyssa and Becky are attempting to settle back into living without each other. When trouble brews at FCKC, will Becky be able to handle it?

A yawn escaped Becky’s lips when she ended her FaceTime call with Alyssa. The USWNT players had been back with their club teams for a week. The season openers were fast approaching. It always took her a few days to adjust to being alone in their bed, but she had finally started sleeping well. FCKC was looking hungry, and with A-rod and Syd both back up top they would be dangerous again. This could be the year they add their 3rd star. Well, it might have been before a wrench got thrown in their plans. 

\---

At practice earlier that day, the team was ending with a small field scrimmage. Amy had gotten fed in by Desiree behind Yael and Becky, firing a shot from inside the 18-yard box towards the upper left corner. Barnie dove and stretched for the shot. She managed to palm the rocket shot over the bar but landed awkwardly on her left foot. She fell to the ground, gloved fist hammering into the dirt in frustration as she clutched it. 

The veterans of the team all let out a sharp breath. The rookies held their breath. Yael was the first one to respond, running over and placing a loving hand on the Barnie’s back. Leaning down, she whispered the question that was on everyone’s mind.

“Nicole, did your knee pop?” 

All she got in response as a slight nod of the goalkeeper’s head. Yael raised her hand and gestured quickly for the medical staff to come over. Becky ran over to Barnie’s other side and knelt. She brushed some of her escaped hair from the goalkeeper’s face and saw the tears streaming. Vlatko kept the rest of the team back, not wanting to crowd the injured woman.

“Hey, hey roomie we don’t know how bad it is. It could be just a strain. Don’t get in your own head.” Becky was doing her best to keep her long-time housemate positive.

“I know what I felt Becks.” Barnie choked out. “Trust me. Talk to Vlatko. I’m done for the season. He needs to trade for someone.”

“Alright…alright.” Becky agreed to keep the woman calm. They could handle the future when they knew how bad the injury was.

It took the medical staff and Cat Parkhill combined to get Barnie up and carried to the inside of the practice locker room. She couldn’t put any pressure on her left leg. Yael looked distraught, torn between following her or staying and attempting to finish practice.

“We have things here. It would be good to have someone with her to keep us updated on what’s going on and I can’t leave practice. Cat will come back because we need another keeper.” Becky told her fellow center back. “Go on. Vlatko will understand.”

That was all the convincing she needed. Her long legs made short work of the distance to the practice locker room. With Nicole taken care of, Becky approached her coach. They needed to figure out how they were going to finish practice.

“This is not good.” Vlatko gave voice to what Becky already knew. “She has been carrying injuries since last season. Even if this is a strain, I would not want to rush her back.”

“I know.” Becky sighed and ran her hands over her fly away baby hairs, her brain running in multiple directions.

“We will finish light today. I know that everyone is worried about her.” He continued. “I will discuss with Cat and you my next steps within the coming days. But today, we need to gather the team and refocus.”

“I agree.” Becky cracked her neck then turned to face the field. Everyone was still scattered from where they had clustered when Barnie went down, talking amongst themselves. She let out a shrill whistle to get the team’s attention and gestured for them to circle around. Before she addressed them, the captain waited for Cat to rejoin them from the locker room. Vlatko spoke first upon her return. “I know this is injury was the furthest thing from all of our minds with our season opener approaching. But we must remain focused. Our medical staff will make sure that Nicole gets the very best of care. Her injury doesn’t change that we have a game next weekend. We must focus and make every practice count.”

“Coach is right.” Becky spoke, surveying the players around her. Their faces were fallen, obviously upset at loosing their co-captain and veteran keeper of the team. “This is terrible. No way around it. But Barnie would kick our collective asses if we sat around moping rather than put everything we had into playing well. We all know that ACL injuries happen. It could have been any one of us. We will play our hearts out for her. Dedicate our season to her. We will support Nicole and be there for her to lean on every step of the way if she wants to remain here in KC to rehab. Right now, I know it is hard. But put your sadness aside. Focus on finishing practice. Yael should have an update for us when we get done. Understood?”

“Yes Cap.” The team nodded, solemn but refocused.

Vlatko had them finish up the scrimmage, with the goalkeeping coach, Adam, stepping in to fill Barnie’s goal. The team was more cautious, not going in for challenging tackles as often as they normally would to win balls. Vlatko thought of yelling at them for it, but then thought better of the idea. They were trying to make it out of practice without anyone else picking up an injury. If the attitude continued tomorrow, he would address it. Other teams wouldn’t take it easy on them – they would need to be prepared.

\---

**Broon: Hey, any word yet? Your stuff is gone so I am assuming they took her to a hospital?**

**Tekker: They did. It is the ice and wait for swelling routine. But Barnie has a feeling in her gut. She heard that pop. We all know what it means.**

**Broon: Shit. I was praying she imaging she heard it.**

**Tekker: Yeah. I was planning on staying with her tonight, if you don’t mind. She is taking hard and I haven’t been able to get her to talk yet.**

**Broon: I figured she wouldn’t be up to talking. You know you are always welcome to use our guest room. I’m going to pack my things and should be home shortly. Don’t make plans for dinner – knowing Amy she will be dropping by with that sweet potato casserole that Nicole loves.**

**Tekker: Aye-aye cap. She is on the couch now with her knee iced and elevated. Any suggestions on what to put on the TV? I think sitting her in silence would be the worst thing to do. I asked her for a suggestion, but she merely shrugged.**

**Broon: Harry Potter marathon. She knows them by heart. That way if the drifts off, it won’t matter.**

**Tekker: Perfect. See you soon.**

Becky slipped her phone into the pocket of her sweats and pulled her damp hair up into a loose bun. This was not how she envisioned this practice in any way, shape, or form. She was hoping it was just a sprain but, knowing Barnie and the wear and tear on her body, her gut told her it was a full tear. As she made her way out of the locker room, she was stopped by Amy. The forward had a full-on mother look on her face.

“You want to bring over dinner.” Becky spoke before Amy had the chance to make her case.

“Yeah, I do. I was going to make that sweet potato casserole that she loves.” The blonde forward nodded. “I can drop it off tonight. That way you don’t have to worry about dinner.”

“I was already planning on it.” Becky confessed. “I guessed your momma instincts would kick in and Yael is going to spend the night at our place. We could use a free meal.”

“Consider it done. I just have to pick Ryan up from daycare and then I will get on it.” 

“Thank you.” Becky hugged her close friend. “I’m going head home and get a read on the situation. Yael told me that they got her home from the hospital and set up, but that she isn’t talking.”

“If you need anything else, shoot me a text and I’ll pick it up on my way over.” 

“Yes ma’am.” The two women shared a smile and went their separate ways.

Upon arriving home, Becky was greeted by a distressed Freyja. She scooped up the tortie and scratched behind her ears. Her bag and shoes were left by the door. In the living room she found Yael curled on one side of the couch, Nicole’s head in her lap. Her left knee was on a stack of three pillows with one of their many ice packs tied around it. Closer inspection revealed that the goalkeeper’s eyes were closed, and a soft snore escaped past her lips. 

“Hey.” Yael whispered. She had just gotten Barnie to doze off and did not want to risk waking her.

“Hey.” Becky gave her a sad smile. “How is she?”

“Exhausted. The doc told her what we all knew. The swelling must go down before they can tell if it is a strain, a partial, or a full tear. She goes back in three days. I wasn’t sure how long you all were going to be at practice, and I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone.”

“I’m glad you decided not to.” Becky confessed. “I would have been too worried to focus on practice. A-rod is going to bring food. Let her doze until it gets here.”

Yael nodded in agreement at the proposed plan. Her hand went back to carding through Nicole’s hair. Becky noticed the motion, storing it in the back of her mind to ask Yael about later. She placed Freyja on the oversized chair and fetched a pair of Gatorades from the kitchen. The pair sat in relative silence, watching Harry’s first year at Hogwarts as Nicole slept.

Becky retrieved her phone from her pocket to see if she had a message from Amy with her estimated arrival time. She saw that she had several missed texts and phone calls from Alyssa. Swearing silently, she opened the text messages. Normally, she called her fiancé on the drive home from practice. Since they were on the same time zone and practiced at the same time most days, it was the perfect time to discuss their day. She had forgotten to call Alyssa with everything that had happened with Barnie.

**Ninja: Hey honey, practice run over?**

**Ninja: I’m guessing so. What did you all do to anger Vlatko? Did he make you run sprints? Which rookie is in trouble?**

**Ninja: Honey now I am starting to worry. Why won’t you pick up when I call? You can’t still be running.**

**Ninja: Are you mad at me?**

**Ninja: Barnie isn’t answering either. Please tell me you’re ok.**

“Yael, I have to go call Lys. I’ll be back in a moment.” She spoke in a rushed whisper.

Becky stood up and quietly made her way out on the back porch. She quickly hit the speed dial for Alyssa’s cell and prayed that the woman would answer. Alyssa answered on the third ring.

_“Becky?”_ Alyssa’s voice sounded distant. It made Becky think she was on speaker phone or that her headphone mike was far away.

_“Hey love it’s me. I am incredibly sorry I missed your texts and calls.”_ Becky knew she wanted to immediately apologize for not getting back to her sooner. Knowing Alyssa, the brunette spiraled silently every moment Becky didn’t respond.

_“What’s going on?”_

_“Nicole got hurt at practice. She blocked a rocket shot from Amy and went down on her knee wrong. It popped. We had to get her off the field and to medical. Then Vlatko had me rally everyone so we could finish practice. The minute we were done I was just focused on getting home and checking on her. That is why neither one of us answered. She is currently knocked out on the couch.”_ Becky curled up on the back-porch swing as she spoke, watching the sun slowly set behind the fence.

_“Shit.”_ The goalkeeper swore. She knew what that pop meant – they all did. Barnie damaged her ACL and could quite possibly be done for the season. _“I’m sorry babe I should have realized that something was up when you didn’t answer. I just wasn’t sure if I did anything to uh…make you not want to talk to me.”_ Alyssa spoke so softly, Becky had to strain to hear what she said.

_“No, no not at all.”_ Becky soothed her as best she could. _“Yael was with her, but I wanted to get home and see her for myself. You know how Barnie is. The woman is tougher than anyone we know. I don’t know how well she going to handle this.”_

_“Yeah. I wonder if this is it for her then…”_ Alyssa’s voice finally reached a normal volume.

_“Yeah.”_ Becky sighed and rubbed her eyes. This was turning into a very long day.

_“Hey…how are you holding up? I know it must have been hard seeing her go down like that.”_

_“I mean it freaked me out. It threw the entire team out of rhythm. Barnie has played through so much. But this isn’t something you throw K-tape on and wait it out.”_

_“Yeah.”_ Her sigh carried through the phone. _“Just…be there for her. As best as you can. Casey said that is what helped her when she was rehabbing her ACL. Having that support circle to lean on.”_

_“Oh, you know the whole team will be here for whatever she needs. But enough about that. Tell me about your day. Please. I need some normalcy back.”_

_“Alright. I started with coffee with Steph and Sam. Then Sam drug us to cryotherapy and convinced Steph and I to give it a shot. Steph moaned it was cold, but it was nothing worse than the winter back home. It felt nice on my legs. We grabbed some light lunch from that brunch bar that I showed you last year and went to practice in the dome. Lots of small sided scrimmages to resettle JJ, Chris, Casey, and I in with everyone. Chris isn’t happy, but she is trying not to show it. I think the locker room is starting to pick up on it though. After practice I just headed back here to use my recovery legs and work on some branding stuff, waiting to hear from you. Sam texted me, asking if I wanted to get dinner with her, Steph, and Sarah, but I turned them down. They want to go out after and I am too old for that.”_ Alyssa let out a laugh at the thought of her being able to keep up with the younger members of her squad.

_“And you’re taken. You don’t need to go out looking for anyone.”_ Becky’s possessiveness was clear even through the phone. She wasn’t fond of the idea of her girlfriend going out to a club filled with attractive people. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Alyssa – she trusted the goalkeeper with her life. It was the other people she didn’t trust.

_“You know I would never. I’m just not into that kind of scene anyway. I have a good book to curl up with and I made some chicken and asparagus for dinner.”_

_“I know you wouldn’t sweetheart.”_ Becky grinned, unable to help herself. That was Alyssa. Never one for a big night out. She had gotten out in the morning with Sam and Steph, so the blonde wasn’t too worried about her being reclusive. _“Well, Amy is dropping off sweet potato casserole for dinner and we are currently watching the first Harry Potter movie. I suspect we won’t be up too late once Barnie’s pain meds kick in.”_

_“Keep me updated on her, ok? I don’t want to crowd her, and I am sure she will get a lot of messages in the next few days as people find out what happened.”_

_“I will.”_ Becky promised. _“You go enjoy your chicken with asparagus and I’ll do keep in touch.”_

_“I’m sorry I freaked out when I didn’t hear from you. I didn’t know something was going on and my mind just started spiraling with possible scenarios…”_ Alyssa apologized, her voice growing quiet again.

_“It’s ok honey. I completely understand. I will FaceTime you to tell you goodnight, alright?”_

_“That sounds lovely. I’ll be waiting. I love you.”_ Alyssa didn’t want her fiancé to go, but she knew that Becky wanted to get back inside to check on Nicole.

_“I love you too sweetheart. Bye.”_ Becky hung up the phone and let out a deep breath. 

The day was starting to weigh heavily on her shoulders. She was worried about Alyssa in Chicago and about Nicole here in FCKC. She would have to find a way to manage both without losing her own mind. She started at the purple and red streaked sky for a moment, enjoying the peace while attempting to calm her mind. She sent up a silent prayer, asking for one of the CRS players to reach out to Alyssa and give her someone to lean on during the season and for Barnie to be given the strength to recover from this injury. 

Back inside the house, Athena and Freyja were crowding Amy’s feet. She had found the door unlocked and entered bearing her sweet potato casserole and what looked like leftover lasagna. Yael waved to her from the couch, Barnie still snoozing as Ron led Harry and Hermione through the chess game. Amy put the food on the kitchen island, shooed the cats, and went outside to find her fellow blonde.  
“What are you doing out here?” Amy’s voice drew Becky from her haze as did the pressure on the seat as Amy sat on the swing next to her.

“I was on the phone with Lys. I forgot to call her on the drive home with everything going on, so I wanted to touch base with her. Then I got caught up in looking at the sunset, honestly my mind just wandering through how all of this could have happened.”

“The Lord works in mysterious ways. There is a purpose behind all of this, even if we can’t see it yet.” Amy offered wisdom, sound more like Cheney every day.

“You’re right. We just have to wait to see it.” Becky smiled at her friend and leaned over to give her a hug.

Amy wrapped her arms around her friend and held her tight. She had the sense that Becky was dealing with more than she was letting on. Becky took solace in her friend’s arms for a moment, using the moment to gather and strengthen her resolve. Amy’s arms didn’t loosen until she felt her fellow blonde pull away.

“Thanks for the food. We need to get some in Barnie and then get her pain meds in her.”

“That sounds like a good plan. I am going to get home to my boys. Again, if you all need anything, don’t hesitate.” Amy stood and then helped Becky up.

“I won’t.” The two women shared a smile as they went back in the house.

Becky saw Amy to the door as Yael was fixing plates for herself and Nicole. Athena and Freyja were circling the her, smelling and demanding food. Yael shooed them away and took Barnie a small plate of with both casserole and lasagna, knowing she wasn’t up for much. The blonde made her own plate and joined them for the end of the first Harry Potter movie.

Barnie didn’t say much, and the two women didn’t push her. Tonight, they gave her space to grieve and begin to process what happened in practice. Yael stayed as close as she dared, not wanting Barnie to do too much and risk aggravating her knee further or trip over a cat and fall. Both Athena and Freyja stayed close to the injured goalkeeper, even once she was done with her food. They sensed she was hurting and were doing what they could to comfort her.

“I should probably head to bed…these meds will knock me out.” Becky was pretty sure those were the first words she hard Barnie say all evening.

“Alright. Let’s get you to bed then.” Yael stood and offered an arm to help her up. 

Nicole got up and balanced on her right foot. Becky went around and put Nicole’s right arm around her shoulder. The two of them guided the injured goalkeeper to her room, shooing the cats from under their feet. They managed to get Barnie sitting on her bed. From there she could pull herself up to get comfortable. Yael excused herself to fetch the pillows from the couch so that the goalkeeper could elevate her knee as she slept. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Becky helped her housemate strip and get into some comfy pjs. Yael returned with pillows and they both made sure Nicole got as comfy as she could.

“Thanks guys. Wake me when you get up. I have to take my meds and eat something.”

“We will.” Yael promised and laid a hand on Barnie’s bare shoulder. “You just focus on getting some rest, so you can start to heal.”

“Mmk. Night.” Nicole mumbled before she covered a yawn.

Becky told Yael goodnight and headed off to her own room. Her fellow center-back had stayed with them before and knew to make herself at home in their guest room. She completed her nighttime routine and got comfy in bed. Nestled under the covers, she FaceTimed Alyssa and waited for her lover to answer.

“Hey you.” Alyssa smiled when she saw Becky’s face, dimly lit by her nightstand lamp.

“Hey yourself. How was your dinner?” Becky grinned when she saw Alyssa’s smile.

“It was good. I got halfway through my book.” She held up a copy of _The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks._  
“Excellent. I want to borrow that when you are done.” Becky yawned when she finished speaking.

“Get some rest honey. You’ve had a long day. Keep me updated with how things go tomorrow, ok?”

“I will. I promise. I’ll let you know if Barnie is up to FaceTime or not.”

“That would be good.” Alyssa covered a yawn of her own. “Goodnight and sweet dreams. I love you.” She gave Becky a sleepy smile.

“I love you too sweetheart. So much. Goodnight and sweet dreams. Call me if you have a nightmare.” The blonde blew a kiss before ending the FaceTime. She turned off her lamp and tried to get some rest.

It was going to be a long NWSL season.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Gaffer, I got a dose of inspiration for this chapter. It is a set up to bring in some fresh blood to FCKC and provide Becky with a friendly face and someone to turn to when she struggles to comprehend what Alyssa is going through. How do you think FCKC will handle losing their keeper to injury? What is going on between Yael and Nicole? Will Becky find a way to manage caring for Nicole and caring for Alyssa while propping her team up? Who will Alyssa turn to in Chicago when she spirals? Let me know what you think!  
> -Red


	18. Settling in at Chicago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa had been settling in at Chicago for a week. One day, Becky goes AWOL. How does the goalkeeper handle it?

Sleeping in a new apartment was weird. Even though it contained all of her (and some of Becky’s things), the set of rooms still didn’t feel like home. Alyssa suspected that feeling would remain unchanged until Becky was with her when FCKC was in town. Still, she did her best to settle in, arranging her bedroom so that is was similar to their one in FCKC. The stuffed rhino that Becky had gotten her from their first visit to Lincoln park zoo was sprayed heavily with the blonde’s favorite perfume – it helped the goalkeeper fall asleep. She tossed and turned each night, struggling to fall asleep in the unfamiliar place, eventually giving into sleep between 11 and 1 each night.

“Alyssa! Wake the hell up and come get coffee with us!” Fellow Masshole Steph McCaffrey barged into her new apartment at what she would later learn was 8:00, thanks to spare key she bribed Julie for. Center-back Sam Johnson followed her roommate, wary of waking the sleeping goalkeeper.

Alyssa rolled over, throwing an arm over her eyes as she heard Steph’s voice carry down the hallway. She knew that giving JJ her spare key would be a bad idea. The woman could be talked into anything, especially if fighting would keep her from Zach. She had a suspicion that Steph had been planning something – she had been trying all week to get Alyssa to hang out. They hadn’t had much free time between team bonding, training, and recovery. Alyssa had focused on unpacking and settling into her new apartment, often opting to stay in and FaceTime Becky rather than go out on the town with her teammates.

“Go away Steph.” She groaned, trying to hang on to the remnants of a dream. All she could remember was that she was with her love on a private beach. The sand was white and the water a glistening blue. Palm trees had swayed in the breeze, as had the hammock they had been in.

“Nope. Not happening. You are becoming a hermit again, just like you did last season. Come get coffee with Sammy girl and me.” Steph barged into Alyssa’s bedroom.

“Girl I have been trying to talk her out of it since she got up this morning. Hoodrat won’t budge. Just make this easier for me and come get coffee, please. Hell, I’ll buy yours if it makes you get up faster.” Sam spoke as she leaned up against the bedroom doorframe.

Alyssa let out a sigh, rubbing her eyes as she forced them open. Grumbling incoherently, she threw her pillow at Steph. The woman got clipped as she tried to dodge it, making Sam laugh. Alyssa was typically a morning person, but the defender would bet that her friend wasn’t sleeping all that well after getting to spend much of the offseason with the woman she loves.

“Get out so I can get ready. I’ll meet you in the living room.” She swung out of bed and stretched, her back joints popping in sequence. Steph flinched at the sound. Alyssa shot her a glare. “Out. Now.”  
“It’s not like we haven’t seen it before.” Steph scoffed.

“I don’t care. I like my privacy. Get out.” The keeper strode toward the small forward. Steph quickly backed until she ran into Sam, who cackled.

“Chicken! I told you that you wouldn’t be so tough once you woke her up. Come on, let her get ready in peace.” Sam grabbed Steph by the arm and hauled her out to chill on Alyssa’s couch while the woman got ready.

The goalkeeper took her time getting ready. It felt like she had only been asleep for a moment when Steph woke her up. And she would have loved to go back to the dream of Becky on a beach rather than wake to an empty bed. 

It wouldn’t last forever. That was what Alyssa kept telling herself as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. One day soon they could either play for the same club, and if that didn’t happen, their playing careers would end, and they could settle down. For now, the brunette would adjust to another season apart and focus on the positive. That had been her lover’s plea with her before she left – to try to focus on the good and not let the bad weigh her down. So, she would go catch up with two of her close friends. It would probably do her some good to get back into a groove.

It took her 15 minutes to get ready. Most of that time was spent trying to decide what to wear. Siri told her the weather was a chilly 22 degrees. She went back and forth between a short sleeve shirt with a sweater or a long sleeve shirt. She ended up going with a ¾ length shirt Becky had gifted her last Christmas. Alyssa quickly did her makeup and slid on some shoes before venturing into the living room.

“You two ready?”

“I am always ready for coffee.” Sam replied as the two women stood and headed for the door.

Together, they exited Alyssa’s apartment and headed down to the heart of the city. Steph weaved her way through the morning crowd to her favorite coffee shop, Alyssa and Sam in tow. The goalkeeper gave Sam her order then found a newspaper before going to look for a table. Once seated, she skimmed the headlines then proceeded to dig out the crossword.

“Oh no.” Steph snatched the paper out of her hands. “You have to converse with us. Once you get into one of those things, it is all over unless one the Nerd Squad is with you. Then you speak in some sort of code.”

“You drag me out of bed. You take my paper. You are walking fine line Hoodrat.” Alyssa glared and folded her arms across her chest. “That’s two strikes before 9 a.m.”

“Stop plotting homicide and drink your coffee.” Sam put the large mug down in front of her friend. “You’ll feel better once you do.”

Sam watched Alyssa stare down Steph for a solid 30 seconds before picking up her cappuccino and taking a sip, still not breaking eye contact. Steph swallowed loudly and pushed the newspaper back across the table. Setting her drink down, Alyssa took the paper, folded it, and placed it in her front jacket pocket for later. 

“So, how are things Sam?” The older woman probed, slowly turning her attention to one of the members of her backline. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Steph sag in relief. It made her chuckle internally. Messing with Steph was one of her favorite things. Steph talked a big game. It was all bark and no bite.

“Things are alright. Spending the offseason in Australia was a nice change of pace as was playing all year round. I know that the Victory didn’t look very good, but I think it helped my game grow. I know I got my confidence back.”

“That’s awesome to hear.” Alyssa smiled. “You’re a great center-back. Sometimes just a reckless one.”

“Ugh so true.” Sam sighed. “But I promise that won’t be as bad this year. I am tired of sitting out for yellow card accumulation.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.” Alyssa warned with a smile as she took another drink of her coffee. “Maybe you have to buy everyone coffee for every game you miss. Why didn’t you go overseas Steph?”

“There are only a few spots.” She shrugged “And with my lack of goals last year…I wasn’t a forward anyone wanted to sign. So, I stayed at home and worked with Kristie and Sam a lot.”

“The goals will come.” Alyssa assured her fellow Masshole. “Every forward goes through dry spells.”

“Yeah, but mine is coupled with lack of playing time.” She grumbled. Sam and Alyssa both wisely chose to stay quiet. Playing time was a sore subject both in and out of the locker room.

“How was your offseason Lys?” Sam tried to pick up the conversation before the awkward silence dragged out.

“My offseason? Full of national team games. We split Christmas and New Years with our families so tons of flying. Then when we got back to KC and settled down for a moment. It was nice to be alone before January camp. That is when she proposed.” The team had made her recount the proposal in exacting detail on her first day back. “We kept it pretty quiet until we had told the national team because we didn’t want to get inundated with phone calls about why we didn’t tell someone first. We told the gals at camp and then posted it to our social media so everyone would know. Then it was camp and a short break to sign a lease for the apartment here before the tourney. You know how the tourney went.”

“Hey girl with that lineup, you did the best you could.” Sam reached out and placed a hand on Alyssa’s wrist, wanting to provide comfort.

“Yeah…just…a lot going on with that and this fight for that starting role with the national team. Ash is as competitive as I am and neither one of us wants to lose. I know not being chosen for the Olympics really hurt her and pushed her to get better.” Alyssa’s voice was quiet, both women having to focus to hear what she said.

“You’re both really talented keepers.” Sam chose her words carefully. “But Lys, something in Ellis made her chose you to go to the Olympics as Hope’s back up. And something made her chose you to play in that France game. We all see that little element X in you. You just have to keep looking until you see it.”

“She’s right.” Steph piped up, both being honest and wanting to get back in Alyssa’s good graces. “You’re a kickass goalkeeper. Everyone at Boston always talked about it and how they missed you playing with us. And now, having played with you, dude, they are totally right.”

Alyssa nodded at their words but didn’t speak. Their words provided some comfort, but deep down she feared they would only quell the doubt for a moment. It would creep up at the silent moments, the moments she used to find peace in. She tucked their words in her memory for those times, as she had with the comforting words Amanda, Becky, and her mother. Alyssa knew she would need them more than ever this season.

“So…what did you have planned for today?” Sam tried to turn the conversation around, sensing the change in Alyssa’s mood.

“Not much. Finish unpacking a few boxes. Do my crossword. Go to practice. Keep adjusting to being back here for another season.” Alyssa shrugged. “Nothing fancy.”

“Why don’t you come to cryotherapy with Steph and me? I found this place not too far from here that is affordable, and I bet it will help you recover from the tourney. You’ve been going since we got back.” Sam suggested, worried that if her friend went home, she could get trapped inside her own head.

“Well…” Alyssa thought the idea over. She could use any leg up on recovery before the NWSL slog started. The last season had taught her that she had to be very attuned to her body with the extra games and travel that she wasn’t used to doing.

“Come give it a shot.” Steph tried to get her friend to agree. “I’ve never been but Sam said it made a huge difference for her game down in Australia. Then we can grab lunch before practice.”

“Alright. But only if I pick lunch.”

“Deal.” Sam smiled. “Let’s get going then.”

The trio returned their cups to the counter and ventured into the chilly Chicago winter. Bundled against the cold, Sam looked quite different than Alyssa, who had only a beanie on. Steph was in the middle of the two with a light jacket and scarf. Sam led them through the city streets to the small cryo facility she had found when she returned from the W-league. Inside, she went around the front desk and hugged the receptionist.

“Sammy, how are you?!” The older woman hugged the defender.

“I’m good Pat. I brought two of my teammates with me today to show them the wonders of your cryo.” Sam pointed at the two. “This is Steph and Alyssa.”

“It is nice to meet you both.” Pat reached across the counter and shook both of their hands. “I’m sure after today, you will be back before every game.”

“Sounds amazing.” Steph grinned.

“Excellent. Let’s get started.”

\---

“Holy shit that was cold!” Steph’s teeth were still chattering as she attempted to redress.

“It wasn’t that bad! Aren’t you from the land of the cold like Alyssa? You should be used to it.” Sam scoffed from where she sat.

“Come on Lys, tell her it was cold.” Steph pleaded with the goalkeeper.

“It wasn’t bad.” Alyssa shrugged after pulling up her jeans. “It was no colder than half of the winters back home.”

“I swear you are freakin’ polar bear like Carli.” Steph glared before pulling her shirt over her head.

“I swear you aren’t from New England if you can’t handle the cold.” Alyssa’s matter of fact tone made Sam laugh.

“You two.” She shook her head. “Finish getting dressed so we can go get food.”

“I’m ready.” Alyssa had slid into her shoes. “We are just waiting for the frigid hoodrat.”

“I’m getting there. We didn’t rush you this morning when you took your time.”

“We also weren’t on as tight of a schedule.” 

“She’s got you there.” Sam pointed a finger at Steph. “Now let’s go. We need to grab a bite before practice.”

“Alright, alright jeez you two. Let’s go.” She had pulled her jacket tight around her. Both of her teammates could only laugh as they left the cryo facility.

“Where are we going Lys?” Sam nudged the goalkeeper. “I’m starving.”

“To Lyn’s Café.”

“Ooh excellent choice!” Steph piped up. “They have the best waffles.”

“They have the best everything.” Sam countered.

“She’s right.” Alyssa sided with the darker woman. “Everything we have tried there has been excellent.”

They headed back towards Alyssa’s apartment to Lyn’s café. The three piled inside and found a booth in the back corner, away from the door. Steph and Sam sat across from Alyssa. The three grabbed menus and chose what they wanted for lunch. Once she had ordered, Alyssa checked her phone to see if she had any messages from Becky. The two had texted their customary good morning texts, but Alyssa hadn’t heard anything since. She shot off a quick text to check in then focused back in on the conversation Steph and Sam were having.

“I’m telling you, Concave has been good to me. I couldn’t get Nike or Adidas to sign me to any sort of contract, and Concave was more than willing. They hook me up with boots all season long.”

“You know I could get you some Adidas wear, you just have to ask.”

“I know, but I like making what I can from them. And it benefits us both – they get a female athlete to model and promote their gear. I get free gear to get me through the season.” Sam shrugged. “If Nike or Adidas come calling with a better offer, I would consider it in a heartbeat. But they aren’t interested in a lot of us who aren’t national teamers, whether from youth or with the full team.”

“Ash told me that she in talks with Puma. They were offering her a better deal and would let her portray more of her style than Nike currently does.” Alyssa spoke slowly. “Sometimes being with a smaller company can let you be more of yourself. Ash is really big on pushing the gender lines and being true to herself. It sounds like Puma wants to run with that. And if they can match close to what Nike is giving her, she is going to go for it.”

“Really?” Steph tilted her head.

“Yeah.” Alyssa confirmed. “The money is nice, but she also wants to be sponsored by someone that truly lets her be her. Nike is very supportive, we all know their equality campaign. But Puma wants to campaign around her. Adidas campaigned with Becky, Danny, Moe, and you when they made that set of cleats designed for a female foot. Could you blame her for turning them down?”

“I couldn’t.” Sam shook her head as their food arrived.

“If they are willing to do so much, why haven’t you jumped ship to the Adidas boat? Or like, West Coast Goalkeeping or something?” Steph asked between mouthfuls.

“Because I don’t want that.” The answer was simple, yet honest. “I am thrilled that Adidas built cleats around women and marketed them with Becky and yourself. But that isn’t for me. I don’t want to be in a commercial. I’ll do the print adds they write into my contracts to get my gear and a decent paycheck. I like my privacy.”

“I could have told you that one Steph, jeez.” Sam playfully shoved the forward. “When do you ever see Lys here on social media like the rest of us? We are all on our phones and, if she isn’t texting Becky or her twin, she is doing a crossword or reading.”

“Hey. I use Twitter and Instagram.” The older women attempted to defend herself.

“To brag about Judah, Penn State, or the Patriots.” Sam counted off on her fingers. “Not much else.”

“Yeah well…I get tagged in a lot of arguments about whether Ash or I should play. It can be draining. It is easier to just stay off it.”

“You can turn your comments off or limit them to your mutual followers on Instagram.” Steph offered. “Chris did it after the Olympics, remember? She told me it really brought her peace because she likes using social media but all of the Preath and Tobin comments get to her.”

“I’ll look into it.” Alyssa promised, but nothing further. She liked to keep her life private. Those close to her knew what was going on. That was what was important.

“Come on you two, we need to get to practice. If we are late, Rory will have us running.” Sam spoke up after checking the time on her phone.

“Shit that is the last thing I want to do.” Steph sprang up from the table.

The other two women quickly followed her to the front. They paid for their meal, then took an Uber back to Alyssa’s apartment building. Unbeknownst to her, Sam and Steph had dropped off their practice stuff when they grabbed her for coffee earlier that day. Alyssa grabbed her own practice bag that she had packed the night before and they headed down to her recently leased Kia. It was time to get back to the grind.

\---

“That was intense.” Katie Naughton panted as she plopped on the side of the turf with the rest of the Red Stars team. The team had just finished their cooldown after a practice filled with 5 v 2 and small sided scrimmages.

“No kidding.” Danny moaned, rolling over to grab a water bottle. “You didn’t get taken out by JJ.”

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry?” Julie huffed. “It isn’t my fault you have a small body mass and easily fly from a hard tackle.” She ducked to avoid the water bottle Danny chucked at her head. Alyssa reached over and snagged it out of the air, raising it towards Danny in thanks.

“At least it wasn’t as bad as that Boston tackle last year.” Alyssa Mautz laughed at the memory. “You flew right into Michele’s lap.”

The whole team cackled at the memory. Poor Danny always seemed to be on the receiving end of rough tackles and poorly cleared balls. Danny turned red, but knew it was all in good fun. She had flown across the field into the backup keeper’s lap from the tackle. To her amazement, the Boston player had only picked up a yellow card for the offense.

“I’m ready for some recovery legs and a nap” Casey Short yawned as they stretched out.

“It’ll get easier when you adjust to the travel.” Julie told her as Christen nodded. “Well, maybe not easier, but you get used to being tired and something always aching. And you made it through the first week back. That is always the roughest.”

“That’s…not very comforting.”

“It is the price of playing for the national team.” Alyssa spoke up. “It’s rough, but worth it.”

“That is completely true.” Christen smiled at the defender. “You’ll get there. Jill seemed really high on you and playing well in the tourney definitely helped your stock in her eyes.”

“You think so?”

“Oh yeah.” Julie grinned.

“I hate to break up the lovefest, but we should probably go shower.” Sofia piped up. “Some of us have plans tonight and you know they will want to get the care team in here to look at the turf.”  
“We do not want to be run out again.” Christen nodded in agreement.

The team took the short walk from the dome to Toyota Park proper and used the facilities attached to their small locker room to clean up and get most of the turf off. Alyssa checked her phone when she walked into the locker room, a towel wrapped tightly around her. Still no new message from Becky. She sent her another text, wondering what was going on in KC as their practice usually finished before the Red Stars.

**Ninja: Hey honey, practice run over?**

The women dressed and slowly put their gear together, the fatigue of practice and travel setting in. In pairs they left the locker room, waving to their teammates and heading home or to jobs. Alyssa watched her teammates leave, keeping an eye on her phone to see if she got a message from her fiancé. When only a few remained, she let out a sigh and grabbed her bag, heading for the exit, shooting another text to her favorite blonde. 

**Ninja: I’m guessing so. What did you all do to anger Vlatko? Did he make you run sprints? Which rookie is in trouble?**

When she got to the car, Alyssa still had no message from Becky. She called her twice, and the phone rang until it went to voicemail both times. Frustrated, she headed back towards the city. Becky didn’t miss their usual calls without telling her. Her mind drifted between different trains of thought, unsettled from a lack of rest and the silence from her love. Parked in her garage, again tried to call Becky. Again, it went to voicemail. In quick succession, she sent off two texts before getting out.

**Ninja: Honey now I am starting to worry. Why won’t you pick up when I call? You can’t still be running.**

**Ninja: Are you mad at me?**

Alyssa got up to her apartment and tossed her bag on top of the washer and kicked off her shoes. She was trying to not let her mind spiral with a myriad of reasons for why Becky wouldn’t answer the phone. Taking a deep breath, the goalkeeper decided the best thing to do was stay busy, to not give her mind the time to wander down those dangerous paths. 

Not feeling particularly hungry yet, she decided to hold off on dinner. Instead, Alyssa got her load of laundry started and repacked her bag for tomorrow. That took all of 10 minutes. Thinking quickly, she grabbed her Mac and recovery boots. She needed a good session in them and it would let her work on some projects she had brainstormed with her twin over Christmas. Alyssa on the couch and put on the Lord of the Rings trilogy for background noise before getting to work. It was all in the beginning stages, but she really wanted to do something big with Athletes for Hope this season. Working with sick kids had always been one her passions outside of soccer. This was her first season in Chicago that Alyssa felt she could do something substantial with them since she wouldn’t miss a big chunk of time due to the Olympics.

45 minutes later and 1 recovery session done, Alyssa unzipped herself from her boots. She still hadn’t gotten a message from Becky. She retrieved her phone from it’s charging pad and called both Becky and Barnie. Maybe her fellow keeper would know what was going on. Neither answered. Something odd indeed was going on. She shot both women a text.

**Ninja: Barnie isn’t answering either. Please tell me you’re ok.**

**Ninja: Hey Barnie I haven’t been able to get ahold of Becky today. Is everything alright there?**

Alyssa made sure her phone was turned all the way up, not wanting to miss any communication from Becky. She slid it in her back pocket and headed to her kitchen to make dinner. On the menu was grilled chicken and some asparagus. Alyssa nearly jumped out of her skin when her phone rang out. It wasn’t Becky’s special tone, but maybe it was Nicole.

**Dream: Hey Lyssa. Steph, Sarah, Katie, and I are going to go grab some dinner then head out to a new club downtown. Are you up for it?**

**Ninja: Thanks, but no thanks. That really isn’t my scene.**

**Dream: We could make it fun. You know how Steph and Sarah are when they get together  
** .  
Ninja: Exactly. That is why I am turning you down. I want an easy night in. 

**Dream: And you still haven’t heard from Broon, have you?**

**Ninja: …No.**

**Dream: I’m sure she just got caught up with something and will be in touch soon. I’ll snap you our crazy night.**

**Ninja: Yeah, I hope so. Have fun!**

Alyssa tucked her phone back in her pocket once she was done talking to Sam. She appreciated the offer, but she was ready for a quiet night in. And a night spent with Steph, Sarah, and alcohol was anything but. She focused on grilling up her chicken and asparagus, one ear always tuned to the sound of her phone. The goalkeeper had just taken a bite of her dinner when her phone rang again, this time with Becky’s special one. She swallowed quickly and swiped to answer, putting her on speaker.

\---

Alyssa couldn’t stop the smile that grew on her face once she had hung up the phone. The talk with her love had calmed her fears and put her mind in the right place again. She loaded her dishes into the sink and made her way to her bedroom, her body feeling heavy after the long day of stress. Stretched out across the mattress, she replayed their conversation in her head.

She should have known that Becky would have ignored her only for something important. They had left on good terms and both were looking forward to the international break when they could see each other again. Becky had no reason to be angry with her. But when she couldn’t get the blonde to answer, that was right where Alyssa’s mind went. That bad game against France was making her doubt not only her goalkeeping skills, but her own relationship. She had to put a lid on it before it got worse. It was a bad game. They happen. It would happen again. Groaning, she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow. Alyssa had to learn to let things go, to stop overanalyzing those moments and watching them replay in her head. She found herself spiraling down trains of harmful thoughts and scenarios without any rational reason for it.

A frustrated groan escaped her, muffled by her pillow. Now she was overanalyzing her overanalyzing. It had to stop. She grabbed her phone from the bedside table and quickly opened the app store. Alyssa had remembered Tobin mentioning white noise helped her sleep when she couldn’t get her mind to shut off. The app store had 100s of free white noise apps. Alyssa randomly selected one with good reviews and waited it to download. When it opened, she was momentarily overwhelmed by the number of options it had. Locating the water noises, Alyssa opened it up and found one that said it was the ocean. She clicked on it and turned up the media volume on her phone. Remarkably, it did sound just like the ocean. Maybe the rhythmic sound would help her sleep. If she was lucky, it would even return her to the dream Steph dragged her from that morning

Alyssa returned her phone to the bedside table and grabbed her rhino and curled up in the middle of the bed. Every time her mind tried to wander, she would force it back to the rhythmic sound of the waves. The minutes ticked by and she felt herself grow drowsy. Between the comforting (if faint) scent of Becky and the white noise, Alyssa was finally lulled to sleep. She had survived the first week back with her Chicago Red Stars. The season began this coming weekend.

The stakes for the Houston game, in her mind, couldn’t be any higher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try to write the day that was covered in the last chapter, but from Alyssa's perspective. You don't always know what the other person on the other end of the phone, computer, etc. is going through and why they aren't responding. I am thinking for future chapters, doing them in 1 week increments as the season goes, with breaks in them for large events as needed. I have 1 more chapter in mind before that would start, but I would like your feedback on it.
> 
> For this chapter, what did you think? Sam and Steph forced Alyssa out, and she started to open up to them. Will Steph be serious enough to convince Alyssa she is worth talking to? Could the future cornerstone of her back line be the person Alyssa leans on when she can't quiet her mind? Will Alyssa be able to get out of her own head? Questions, comments, I'll take them all.  
> -Red


	19. A New Face with FCKC

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trade is made to fill the gaping hole left by Barnie's injury mere days before the start of the 2017 NWSL season.

“Who do you think he is bringing in?” Cat asked, absently playing with her necklace.

“I’m not sure. There are several quality keepers in the NWSL. The questions are who was available to him and what was their cost.” Becky tilted her head as she thought, the preliminary list forming in her mind.

The two women were sitting inside Vlatko’s office on the grounds of the Swope Soccer Complex. He had asked to meet with them after practice, privately. Becky had made sure to inform Alyssa of the meeting and promised to call her when it was over. The blonde woman had tried to relax in the chair, but the reality of the situation still made her uncomfortable. Nicole was done for the season and Vlatko didn’t trust Cat to handle the full season by herself. Whoever they brought in would hopefully mesh with the team and the backline fast, or it would spell only trouble. And in the NWSL, trouble at the beginning of the season could leave a team on the outside of the playoffs come October.

“Hello Cat, Becky.” Vlatko spoke when he opened the door. Their coach smiled at them as he crossed the room and sat behind his desk. “I apologize for the delay, I had to relay final instructions to Becca.” Both women nodded in understanding.

“So…I take it you found someone?” Cat was surprisingly blunt. 

“I have. Unfortunately, we had to move a high draft pick next season as well as Alex.” He held up a hand to stop Becky from speaking. “I have already talked to her. She is speaking to the team right now and I am sure she is waiting for you both. I told her I wanted to speak with you both before the news is leaked.”

“Did we trade with Houston or North Carolina?” The list had narrowed quickly in her mind once Vlatko had told them the cost of the trade. With Nicole only out for the year, he wouldn’t trade for an older keeper right away until he knew if she would want to return or not. That meant Chicago, Washington, and Orlando were all out. Their starting keepers were all current NT players and they would need their young backups to step in when they were out for international duty. Seattle wouldn’t trade Kop without a solid backup, and Angerer wasn’t going to let Portland trade Franch. Boston and Sky Blue were too high on getting a young talent in goal to part with Smith or Sheridan without significant return. Only two teams had significant keeper depth in the league currently. Either Jane or Katelyn would be a good pick up for FCKC.

“Houston. Carolina had too much depth and U.S. Soccer helped us out as they want Jane to get games.” He told them both. “That doesn’t mean that Jane will play every game. She will need time to mesh with the team and to train with our defense.” He looks at Cat. “We will be depending on you, especially now at the start of the season.”

“I won’t let you down.” Cat nodded firmly as her shoulders relaxed a little.

“I know you won’t.” Vlatko gave a small smile. “Now. Becky, as captain, I expect you to help Jane mesh with the team as soon as possible. Moving from Houston to here I am sure will be some sort of shock, but the quicker we can get her acclimated, the better we will be.”

“Of course. Do we know where she is staying yet?”

“Not yet.” Vlatko shook his head. “We are working out a temporary place until she has time to search for an apartment. There are several hotels that are close by, but her personal transportation then becomes an issue.”

“Why doesn’t she stay with me and Nicole? We have the space and having Cat over to watch film would give Nicole something to do besides prehab. It will be good for all 3 of them.” Becky proposed, glancing at Cat. The woman gave her a nod, seeing the logic and benefits behind it.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” Becky nodded. “Besides, it is only temporary. I am sure we can all help her find a place if she doesn’t want to take Alex’s spot with her host family.”

“Then it is done. I will you send you both her flight information. I would like you there to greet her first thing tomorrow morning before practice.” 

“We’ll be there.” Both women assured their coach before standing to leave. He doesn’t keep them, already turning to his notebook filled with the day’s training notes.

The locker room was somber. No one liked to see their teammates traded, especially with the start of the season so close. They were already having to deal with the loss of Barnie for the season, and now they were losing another piece of their defense. The whole room had turned to see who had entered. Cat was the first to find Alex and quickly crossed the room to her. The two women shared a long hug before separating. Alex went to Becky, who also gave the young woman a hug.

“You are going to kill it in Houston.” The two blondes shared a sad smile. “Just not against us, ok?”

“No promises.” Alex wiped at her eyes, not wanting to shed more tears. “You hold it down here ok? Don’t let Yael get any crazy ideas about moving back to the midfield.”

“Oh, I won’t let her leave me.” Becky promised. “You’ll be back here visiting before you know it.” 

Alex nodded and slowly went over to her locker. The rest of the team found a reason to stay until she had packed everything up. It only felt right that they should all leave with her. She would have a busy night, packing up her things and saying goodbye to her host family. The Dash had found her a flight first thing in the morning to get her down to Houston. As a team, they all walked into the parking lot and shared another round of hugs and tears. Alex watched them all wave goodbye in her rearview mirror as tears continued to crawl down her face. She was going to miss this family.

“We are going to see her off tomorrow morning, aren’t we?” Cat questioned Becky as they went to their respective vehicles.

“Of course. We have to be there early to pick up Jane anyway. I’ll pick you up at 6?”

“I’ll be ready.” Cat confirmed before sliding into her car.

Becky mirrored her after dumping her bag and connected her phone’s Bluetooth. She had it dial Alyssa while she backed out and headed to their home.

“Hello?” Alyssa covered a yawn as she spoke. They had a long practice followed a film session as they prepped for their first game against Houston.

“Hey love. I am just now headed home.” Becky let a yawn of her own, the eventful day catching up to her. “How was practice?”

“The usual. Long and sweaty.”

“Sweaty? Isn’t it still 50 degrees there? And I would wager you were wearing shorts with no tights and short sleeves. So how exactly, dear, were you sweating?”

“Very funny.” The goalkeeper snorted. “I know that you field players don’t always believe it, but we keepers do more than just stand in net and make a few saves. Our workouts make us sweat, no matter the temperature.”

“Mmhmm.” Becky teased, pursing her lips as she drove. “Keep telling yourself that sweetheart and one day it may be true.”

“You are a certain kind of feisty today.” Alyssa remarked, cradling the phone to her ear as she grabbed a bottle of cider from the fridge and popped it open. “What has you riled up?”

“Vlatko made a trade today.”

“Did he?” Alyssa’s voice turned serious. That is what the meeting had been about. “Who and for who?”

“Our natural first round draft pick and Alex for Jane from the Dash.”

“Oh honey.” Alyssa sighed, wishing she could be there to hug her fiancé. She knew she was attached to Alex, hell she was attached to them all at FCKC. And with the start of the season fast approaching, it made the trade much difficult to swallow. The season started in less than a week.

“Yeah. They both fly out tomorrow. He wants Cat and I there to pick up Jane from the airport. I told Cat to be ready early, so we can see Alexa off. I’ll take a book or two and hang around the airport until Jane gets in.”

“It is good that you two are going to see her off. I’m sure she will settle into the Dash quickly with you checking in on her. Is Cat alright with Jane being the person coming in? She has to have heard what Ellis said about her needing minutes.”

“I think she will be.” Becky confessed as she took the scenic route home. “Right now, I think deep down she knows that Jane will get most of the minutes, but if she can get a game or two at the beginning while Jane acclimates to the team and a couple more when she is hopefully called up for international duty…”

“She will get more playing time than she did behind Nicole.” Alyssa summarized after taking a drink.

“Pretty much.” The blonde couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped her. “We aren’t even in season yet and the team is getting separated.”

“Hey….” Alyssa softened her voice. “You knew that someone was probably going to be moved to bring in someone to fill that spot. It sucks. We all know it. Especially for those who don’t make good money and suddenly have to up and move across several states before trying to settle into a new team.”

“Pretty much.” She couldn’t stop herself from nodding even though she knew Alyssa couldn’t see it. “I’m just hoping Yael made it home first and told Nicole, so I don’t have to.”

“Yael is still staying with you?”

“Yeah. I think she will be for a while. She has moved her things into Nicole’s room and is helping her manage prehab and starting to schedule things out.”

“Oh, I see. Well, good for them.”

“It actually is a good thing for more than that. Vlatko and I decided Jane should stay with us for a few days until she gets settled in and finds a place of her own or moves in with Alex’s old host family. She can crash in the guest room until she decides what to do. With Nicole and Cat going over footage, we thought it would be good for Jane to join in.”

“I can understand that. You will just have a full house. I would bet you might not see Athena for a day or so once Jane gets there.” 

“I’m more worried about Freyja sneaking out with all the people we are going to have going in and out.” Becky sighed as she parked and switched the phone to her ear.

“Well, you have her belled unless Athena tore her collar off. Just warn Jane to be careful when she is going in and out.”

“I will. I’ll just tell her that she has to find her if she is lost and she isn’t allowed back inside without our cat.”

“Ooh, that’s mean. But fair.” Alyssa couldn’t help but laugh at the no nonsense tone in Becky’s voice. 

“I thought so. I just got home so I’m gonna hop off here and check on Nicole then find something for dinner. FaceTime before we head to bed?”

“That sounds lovely honey. Tell Nicole and Yael I said hi. I love you.”

“I love you too sweetheart.” Becky hung up and opened her front door.

Her to cats ran to meet her, talking loudly with their displeasure of her being home late. Becky soothed them with head scratchings and promises of treats. Freyja trotted to wait for her treats in the kitchen once Becky scooped up Athena. Venturing into the living room, she found Nicole stretched out on the couch icing her leg on Yael’s lap. Supernatural was playing in the background. Both women looked up when they heard Freyja’s bell jingling on her trot to the treats.

“Hey.” Nicole spoke first. “Yael already told me about the trade.”

“I figured.” Becky shrugged as she walked closer to the pair. “It blows.”

“That’s putting it lightly.” Nicole snorted. “I hate losing anyone.”

“You know I do too. But Vlatko did what he thought was best for the team. We needed someone to compete with Cat since you are going to be out for a while.” The brunette defender was careful as she spoke. There was no reason to put a timeline on it since they weren’t sure how significant Nicole’s injury was.

“I know.” A deep sigh escaped Barnie. “And Jane has a lot of potential. It just reminds me that I am not playing.”

“Well...” Becky let her voice trail off. Crap. She hadn’t thought about that when she told Vlatko that Jane could stay with them for a few days. “Then you probably don’t want Jane staying with us for a few days until she finds a place to live, do you?”

Nicole was quiet for a minute as she thought. Yael stared hard at Becky, trying to figure out why she was asking that particular question. The faint sheen of sweat on Becky’s brow made Yael think that things could get messy depending on the older woman’s answer.

“She needs somewhere to stay, and we have the space. Just…only for a few days, right?” She tilted her head awkwardly to look at Becky’s face when she answered.

“For sure. We will either help her find a place or she can move in with Alex’s host family.” Becky promised.

“Alright…” She twisted back around and settled into the couch as best she could. “But if she loses the cats she is out.”

“Deal.” Yael caught the slump in Becky’s posture as she answered. She quirked an eyebrow in her direction, but the blonde shook it off. Everything was worked out for now. If necessary, she could fill Yael in.

“Any idea what sounds good for dinner?” Yael asked, looking at both women.

“Leftovers and a salad are calling my name. Once I give Miss Impatient there” Becky pointed to Freyja, who was sitting in the kitchen doorway. “her treats that is.”

“Do we have any of Amy’s leftovers still?” 

“Unless you ate them for lunch we do. Want me to heat some up for you?”

“That’d be great Broon, thanks. I need to get up and stretch.”

“On it.”

The three fell into their new routine. Yael helped Barnie up once the timer had gone off and got her moving, doing some gentle stretches to loosen her muscles after a long day of prehab. The blonde headed to the kitchen and plated up leftovers for 3 and rotating them through the microwave as she tossed a large salad for them. Amy had been keeping them well supplied with meals, brushing off any arguments to get her to stop. Having been friends with Amy for over 10 years now, she knew better than to argue. So, they willingly accepted the food and munched on the leftovers throughout the week while Broon snuck Adam a portion of their food budget to help offset the cost.

Following dinner, the three women continued to watch Supernatural while Yael and Becky both plugged in their recovery legs. Secretly, the blonde grabbed snaps of the two women and sent them to Alyssa. Yael jumped at every demon despite her best attempts not to. At one point, Barnie swung herself around so that her head was on Yael’s lap. She would rather have her head jostled every 10 minutes than her knee. Thoroughly amused, Becky had to cover her mouth to keep the two women from hearing her laugh. She made sure to take a picture of them, wanting to show it to both once the two talked about what was going on between them. Becky wished someone had done it when she and Alyssa had started their awkward flirting at national team camps. Still, she was sure the two of them had made up for lost time since then.

\---

“Cat. Cat pick up the phone. I am not dumb enough to come knock on your door and wake up your roommates.” Becky muttered as she called Cat’s phone for the 4th time. She was parked out front of her apartment at 6 a.m. sharp with two steaming cups of coffee. She really didn’t want to go banging on their door this early, but if Cat didn’t answer soon, she would have to. They couldn’t be late to see Alex off or to pick up Jane. Both women were on direct, early flights. The information that had been sent to her told Becky that Jane had a two-hour flight. That would be just long enough for her to make a sizable indent on her latest novel.

Becky’s attention was drawn from her phone when she heard a tap on the side of the car. Jumping as high as her seatbelt would allow, Becky whipped her head around to see who in the universe was tapping on her window in a residential neighborhood at dawn. Instinctively she reached for her mace in the center console before realizing it was Cat.

“Holy moly Cat you scared the shit out of me! Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Becky glared at the woman who was snickering as she slid into the passenger seat.

“You were calling me? Oh crap, I never took it off silent.” Cat did her best to look sheepish as she buckled her seatbelt.

“Mmhmm. You’re lucky I like you.” Becky took a sip of her coffee and backed out of her parking spot, heading towards the airport.

NPR played on the radio as the two players drove in relative silence, enjoying the view of the city as it started to wake. Traffic slowed some around the airport, but Becky maneuvered through it to get them to short term parking. The two women climbed out and headed inside. They waited outside of security until they spotted Alex with her luggage. Hugs were exchanged, and Becky made note of the bags under the woman’s eyes and the fresh tear tracks. Obviously, saying goodbye to her host family hadn’t been easy.

“Thanks for seeing me off.” She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. The poor woman didn’t want to cry anymore.

“It is the least we could do.” Becky reassured her as she reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “Remember, you are going to do great things in Houston. I told Amber you were coming, and she is going to pick you up from the airport. Let us know when you land, ok?”

“Yeah. I can do that.” She sniffed once more and nodded, standing up a little straighter.

The three women exchanged hugs one more time. Alex then headed through security and off to find her flight. Cat and Becky wandered outside. They followed the signs to the coffee shop on the edge of the airport and made themselves comfortable. Becky set her phone out with Jane’s flight information pulled up before she dove into her book. The goalkeeper played on her phone while they waited for their new teammate to land. When she grew bored, Cat chose to people watch. All kinds of types were going in and out of the shop as they arrived for work or wanted that last fix before going through security.

Becky’s phone buzzed to gain her attention. Glancing down, she that Jane’s flight had just landed. She quickly finished up the paragraph she was on and marked her spot. Her movements caught the attention of Cat, who had just finished her 2nd cup of coffee.

“Is she here?”

“Plane just landed. We should meander back towards the baggage terminal and figure out where to wait for her.”

A short walk in the sunshine had them back in the airport and the found Terminal E where Jane’s baggage (and Jane) should eventually appear. Both women kept their eyes peeled for the bright blonde hair of FCKC’s new goalkeeper. It was Becky who spotted her first. The goalkeeper had walked around the far curve of the airport and seemed to be scanning the screens to determine what baggage terminal to go to.

“Jane!” Becky’s voice lifted over the crowd as she waved a hand in the air. “Here!” The blonde smiled in response and made her way over to her new teammates.

The two USWNT members hugged first. Becky couldn’t help but grin when they separated. Jane and Andi were good friends and thus Jane had spent some time with both her and Alyssa while in national team camps. Cat cleared her throat, causing Becky to step to make the introductions.

“Jane this is Cat, your fellow keeper. Cat, Jane.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” The two women shook hands.

“Yeah, for sure.” Jane nodded, giving Cat a smile. “Happy to be here.”

“How was your flight?”

“Eh, uneventful. The best kind.” Jane shrugged as she shifted her backpack on her shoulders. “Nice and short though, so that was nice.”

“Those are the best.” Cat nodded.

“How much do you have?”

“Oh, not much. Just two large bags and this. My folks hadn’t shipped the rest of my stuff yet and when the Dash told me about the trade, I had them hold off on it.”

“Ah those days were fun.” Becky reminiscenced, causing the two young blondes to snicker. “I know you two aren’t thinking I am old.”

“No. Nope. Not at all.” Jane quickly straightened her face, having heard plenty of stories from her teammates on the national team about Becky’s long game revenge plans. Cat hadn’t been on the end of one in her last year at FCKC and she surely didn’t want to be on the list now.

“Good. Look, here come the bags.”

Jane's bags had bright red Stanford tags on them, making them easy to spot. They pulled them off the carousal and headed toward the car. Jane made sure to snap a selfie of the three of them and post it to Instagram once they were in the sun. They loaded up the baggage after she dug out a hoodie and headed out of the airport, Jane staring out the window. Kansas City was different from Houston, that was sure.

“So…where um am I sleeping after practice?” It was Jane who brought it up, having no idea what her schedule was for the rest of the day.

“You are going to crash with Nicole and I for a few days while you decide if you want to find a place or if you want to live with Alex’s old host family.”

“Oh really? That’s really generous of you two. You didn’t have to do that. A hotel room would have been fine.”

“It is the least we could do with you being traded her last minute. You do not need to be staying in a hotel room.” Becky glanced up and made eye contact with Jane in the back, telling her it wasn’t up for discussion.

“Alright, cool.” She held up her hands in defeat. “When do we practice?”

“In an hour or so. We are headed there now so you can see the place and start meeting the team.”

“Can’t wait.” Jane grinned in the back. 

The new goalkeeper was going to make the most out of this trade and fight Cat for that starting spot. She had a legit chance at it, which she might not have had in Houston with Lydia Williams being a very solid #1 goalkeeper. She hated leaving the new friends she had made in Houston and having to fly out a few days before the season started had made things more difficult than she expected. But Jane wasn’t going to look a gift in the mouth. This was her chance to solidify her spot with the NT in the near future and she was going to grab it with both hands. The increased chance of seeing Andi was an added bonus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know it has been forever. There have been some medical issues that I had to get taken care of. Thank you all for sticking with me so far, I know with my random as f*ck update schedule it isn't always easy. From here on out, there will be a brief section at the beginning of each chapter summarizing the NWSL action of the week before diving in so we can stay on track as to where the season is. With that out of the way, what did you think of the trade? Will Jane settle in going forward? Will Becky and Alyssa finally get around to wedding planning now that the situation at FCKC seems settled? As always, I greatly appreciate any feedback you want to leave. Any and all mistakes are my own.  
> -Red


	20. NWSL 2017 Week 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The NWSL season officially kicks off. The lovely couple attempts to do some wedding planning, Chicago moves a key piece around on their field, and Yael and Nicole have a much needed conversation.

League Summary:

4/15  
Hou v Chi: 2-0 (Ohai, Daly)  
Por v Orl: 2-0 (Nadim, Sinclair)  
Was v Ncc: 0-1 (Zerboni)  
Sea v Sky Blue: 1-1 (Rapinoe; Killion)  
4/16  
FCKC v Bos: 2-0 (Leroux, Rodriguez)

\---

“This is going to be more complex than I imagined.” Alyssa groaned, burying her face in her hands at her kitchen table in Chicago.

“Sweetheart, we talked about this. We found that gorgeous venue in Colorado and have already put down our deposit. That is a huge task checked off. This morning, all we have to do find save-the-dates and invitations plus start editing the guest list. It is a small, doable task. Grab a cup of coffee, then get back here.” Becky couldn’t help but smile. Her goalkeeper was cute when she was flustered.

Alyssa grumbled but did get up from the table and go pour herself another strong cup of coffee. She took a few sips and grabbed a banana nut muffin Jen Hoy had brought to recovery the day before to tide her over. After she adjusted her phone, she grabbed and booted up her Mac.

“Alright, so we have to look for invitations. The first step to that is figuring out our wedding colors and a theme, if you want one. We want that to be reflected on the save-the-dates and the invitations.”

“A theme?”

“Yes dear. There are all kinds of them, ranging from simple to complex. With ours being in December, we should probably stick to something simple.”

“I like that idea.” Alyssa nodded quickly. The simpler, the better with their crazy lives. “What…could we do…literature or something related to it? That was how we met, remember? You asking to borrow the book I had just finished because you forgot to pack an extra. And our first date was at Powell’s in Portland.”

“That is a brilliant idea sweetheart.” The blonde cracked a grin as she jotted the idea down in the notebook Amy had gotten her for planning. “It is broad enough we could find plenty that works and still customize it as we desire.”

“Glad I could help.” Alyssa had blushed red at the compliment.

“See, you thought this wedding stuff would be hard.” Becky couldn’t resist teasing her. She was glad to see Alyssa out of the small funk that had grabbed ahold of her after Chicago lost to Houston. The orange team always seemed to have their number at the beginning of the season and 2017 was no different.

“I said it is going to be more complex than I imagined. I wager figuring that out is only the tip of the iceberg with regards to what you want to get accomplished this morning. So, hit me with it. What’s next?” Her head tilted as she took another sip of coffee.

“Now we have to narrow down our colors According to my notes, we were torn between a royal blue and silver or a teal with a soft yellow.” Becky read off of her notebook before glancing up at Alyssa. “Have you thought about it at all?”

“If I am to be completely honest, not really. The game result put a damper on any sort of planning.”

“That’s alright.” The soft smile Becky gave her warmed Alyssa’s heart. The great part of marrying another professional sports player was that they understood the ups and downs of the season better than anyone. “Take another look at the paint chips I sent you.”

“Alright, give me a moment.”

Alyssa got up from her kitchen table and ventured into her bedroom, grabbing the small envelope that Becky had mailed her a few days ago. She turned it over and tapped gently, sliding out the four paint chips. After separating them into the appropriate pairs, Alyssa made her way back to the kitchen. Becky let her look at them for a few moments before prompting for an answer.

“Well?”

“You first.” Alyssa finished off her muffin to prevent herself from having to answer.

“Only because I love you. I’m a big fan of the teal, but not with the yellow. They are both too bright and feel more like spring than winter.”

“I don’t believe either one of us would look good in yellow either, so it would have to serve as the accent color. The pairing reminds me of spring and of Easter. Completely off our timeline.”

“Alright, so teal and yellow are out. What about the deep blue and silver?”

“Much more wintery, but should we go with a darker blue? Like…a dark sky on a summer’s night in the woods. Let me show you.” Inspired, Alyssa picked up her phone and shot Becky a quick picture. “I took this when we were down in North Carolina last year out by Amanda’s cabin.

Becky drew her phone close to examine the picture. There was something mystical and alluring about the dark blue with the silver of the stars peaking through that spoke of winter and the mysteries that could be hiding under the snow.

“It is a beautiful dark blue. But I have to ask, why did you take a picture of the sky out at the cabin?”

“To look at the stars whenever I am in the city. We can’t see the stars here.”

“Aww honey.” Becky’s heart melted. “It is an intriguing color. Let me take this into Lowe’s tomorrow and see if I can find a paint chip that is similar. If I do, I’ll send a picture of it to you followed by a paint chip in the mail.”

“Alright.” Alyssa nodded as checked her watch. They still had a little time. “I hesitate to ask, but is there a step three?”

“There is. Step three is finding a save the date design that we like which fits with out theme. If we can’t find a stock one, we will have to pay someone to make it for us. I believe we both want to avoid that, given our tight schedule.”

“Yeah, not to mention that will probably cost us more in the long run. I’d rather us spend extra on the things that matter. Like clothes and photography and such.” The younger woman was quick to offer an explanation. “Not that these don’t matter because they do but in the overall scheme of things…”

“Alyssa, sweetheart, you’re rambling. We are in complete agreement. We will find one that we can make work” The blonde winked at her goalkeeper. “So, I have already done a little looking. Let me show you what I found before you run off to recovery.”

“Alright.” Alyssa drained her coffee mug. “Show me what you have.”

“After I get another cup of coffee.” Becky tilted her empty mug towards her phone camera. “I’ve only had a cup.” Even with the lack of caffeine, the blonde couldn’t stop smiling. FCKC had won their first game of the season with both A-rod and Syd back on the field and scoring goals. Now she got to plan her wedding with the woman she loved before she went to recovery session. It was a moment of relative normalcy in her busy house.

“I can get you one.” Jane chirped as she entered the kitchen. She grabbed Becky’s cat breed crossword mug and filled it before handing it to her captain. “Morning Lys.” She squatted down to see her fellow USWNT goalkeeper.

“Hey kid. You settling in alright?”

“Yeah, once I got over that I was living with the best defender on the planet.” Becky rolled her eyes at Jane’s comments. “Who said I was talking about you? Yael is here too. Ouch!” She flinched and rubbed her left arm. “My bad cap, my bad. The team is nice and Barnie has been really good about going over footage with me so that I could start learning the defensive habits of the team.”

“Good. You’ll get your shot. Just keep grinding.”

“That’s the plan.” Jane waved goodbye and padded into the living room to catch the morning news, leaving the two women alone once more.

“So, I found these three that go with the literary theme.” 

Alyssa didn’t know that Becky had been looking at various items of wedding planning since she began planning her proposal. She couldn’t help it. When the defender thought of getting to marry the woman she loved, her mind just started to wander of what exactly their wedding would look like. Becky wanted everything to be perfect for the two of them. When Alyssa had hit on the literary theme, the defender had started scanning her various sub folders on her laptop for anything that could be made to fit with it.

“Ok, show them to me.”

Becky picked up her phone and turned it towards her laptop screen. She had three tabs open. The first invite was designed as the page of a book, with spaces for them to fill in the pertinent information on the left and room for an illustration or a picture on the right. The second was designed as a torn page from a book with room for the wedding announcement as the chapter title with room for a small picture (think original Harry Potter books). A stack of books with the save the date on the spines was the third and they could be customized in color. 

“These were three that I had found that went with the literary theme. Any clear yes or no?”

“The last one looks like the best for save-the-dates. The other two appear as if they would be better invitations. How did you find them so fast?”

“Oh, I had started looking last week when we made the guest list and found a wide variety of them, then sorted them by theme in a subfolder.” Alyssa’s smirk at her response painted a blush on her cheeks. “You’re right. I’ll save them in a folder for us to look at later as possible invites.” Becky propped the phone back up on the table and moved the two they rejected to her invites folder. “I’ll shoot the moms an email with this one and see what they think of it.”

“And I will have the Google doc with the guest list sometime this week.”

“Excellent. It does feel nice to be productive in the morning.” Becky drained her cup of coffee before picking up the phone and heading out to her balcony to get a bit of the morning sun.

“Your morning. I am off to recovery soon.”

“Fair enough.” Becky dug her headphones out of pockets and popped them in. “How are you doing after that game?”

“Short term memory. Already watching footage of Sydney trying to figure out how to shut her down. Mostly excited about seeing you though.”

“I am glad we are playing you early in the season.” Becky confessed. “I’d gotten used to having you with me, even if we were traveling.”

“I know. I need to nab a new shirt from you. The Blue Crew one I have doesn’t smell like you anymore.”

“I will make sure to pack one then.” She promised. “Because you know I will be raiding your closet after the match.”

“I know dear. And I won’t know what’s missing until 2 weeks later. You’ll FaceTime me wearing it and it will click that it is the shirt I had been looking for.” The two women shared a laugh. “Oh, I love you. And I can’t wait to see you. Did you convince Nicole to make the trip?”

“Well…Yael might’ve gotten Vlatko to buy her a ticket. She believes that getting out of KC will be good for her. She is scheduled to have surgery next week. At first, Barnie was eager to get it done, but I think the seriousness of it is setting in. I tried to get her to talk about it, but she wasn’t willing, and I didn’t want to force it. I know Kriegs reached out to her, maybe she will be able to get her to start talking. I honestly don’t know if she will be up to taking a trip with the team she can’t play with, but I hope she can be convinced.”

“Kriegs was at a different point in her career though. Barnie is already near the end of hers and FCKC just traded for a young national team prospect. I would bet she has started thinking if this is time to hang up the gloves.”

“Yeah…I was afraid of that. That’s why I want her to start talking. To someone.” Becky sighed. “Maybe she is talking to Yael. I’ll have to ask her at practice.”

“She very well might be.” Alyssa agreed. “You are doing all of the right things sweetheart. You told her you are there if she wants to talk and I know you and Yael are making sure that the trainers and staff are taking excellent care of her. She might open up more when Jane moves out. How much longer is she with you?”

“She is with us through this trip. She signs her lease when she gets back. A one-bedroom place opened up in Erica’s building.”

“That will be good for her. Get her a place of her own and give Nicole some space.”

“Right.” Becky smiled as she saw Alyssa glance at her watch again. “Time for you to meet Jules and get on the road?”

“Yeah.” Alyssa smiled and blew her fiancé a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too honey. Have a good recovery session.” Becky waved goodbye as Alyssa ended the call. 

\---

“Hey Lys.” Sam waved to get her goalkeeper’s attention. “Your timer went off 10 minutes ago.”

“Ah crap. Thanks Sam.” Alyssa popped out her headphones and eased herself out of the ice bath.

“Book that good?” The center-back cocked an eyebrow. “I’ll have to read it if it is able to distract you from this cold.”

“Eh, it is alright.” The goalkeeper shrugged as she wrapped a towel around her shoulders. “Mainly trying to get refocused for this weekend.”

“Ahh the elusive girlfriend comes to town with FCKC. Surely you aren’t nervous to see her?”

“No. I’m excited to see her.” Alyssa gave a quick smile before she grew solemn. “More worried about this game. I know Amy picked up that knee knock, but they still have Syd who is looking as fast as ever. With Groom and Tymrak to feed and keep pace with her, they will be dangerous.”

“I’m sure Rory is working on a plan to tackle them right now. Footage will be ready to roll after lunch in typical Dames fashion. What is really bothering you?”

“Eh…just…” 

“God damn Rachel Daly?” Julie piped up as she tugged on her sweats.

“Exactly.” Alyssa sighed, grateful that Julie could put it into words. “She always seems to score absolute screamers that there is no way I could stop. It is depressing.”

“I feel that.” Julie walked over and sat next to slumped woman. “But you know we can’t get hung up on it. We get a rematch with them later in the season and you can snuff her out then. They always have our number the first game of the season. We will get them. But first, we gotta kick the crap out of FCKC. Sorry Lys, but your girl is going down.”

The look on Julie’s face made Alyssa laugh. The blonde always had a way of cheering the team up when they were down. She could read people; a skill Alyssa wish she had. The classic Julie grin spread across her face when she got the goalkeeper to laugh. She wanted her goalkeeper to stay positive and looking forward towards the next game.

“I’m in full agreement there JJ. Becky and I agreed a long time ago that what happens on the pitch doesn’t impact our relationship off the pitch.” Alyssa pulled her shirt over her head as her stomach growled.

“Sounds like you should be more concerned with grabbing lunch before Rory sits us all down for film.” The blonde poked Alyssa’s abs as she giggled. “They have the buffet set up upstairs. Want me to come with?”

“Wait for me!” Sam clambered out of her own ice bath as her phone vibrated.

“Hurry up then.” Julie sassed back. “Lys is going to fade away into nothingness from hunger if we don’t get her food soon.”

“Feeling dramatic today Jules?” Alyssa quirked an eyebrow of her own and crossed her arms as they waited for the dark woman to dry off and dress.

“Oh, no more so than usual. Just trying to keep a smile on that face until Rory makes us all watch film. From then on, Chris says I have to be serious.”

A chuckle escaped both Alyssa and Sam as Julie seemed to turn glum at the mere thought of having to be serious. She had a point though. Christen was aggravated more than anyone on the team after their loss to Houston. She was feeling the pressure to perform with Alex injured in France – it was perhaps her only opportunity to display why she deserved a chance to start for the USWNT.

“Well, we go out to Portland next week. She can spend some quality time with Tobin and chill the hell out.” Sam muttered as the three women made their way to the stairs.

“A win would also have the same effect I would imagine.” Countered Alyssa.

“Yeah, yeah that would help.” The defender agreed. “Probably better, too. Then we wouldn’t have to wait another week for her to perk up.”

“Can’t beat that logic.”

The three women hopped in line behind Katie Naughton and started making their lunch plates. They had various tables and chairs strewn around the lounge for the players to sit in while they ate. Alyssa and Sam followed Julie to a table that also had Alyssa Mautz and Danielle Colaprico at it. The two midfielders waived, both of their mouths full. The three women returned them then dug into their own food.

“Any idea what Rory will cover in film today?” It was Danny who posed the question.

“Well….” Julie let her voice trail off “I might know a secret.”

“Don’t tease Jay. What do you know?” Mautz poked her fork in Julie’s direction.

“He might be moving someone to a new position based on how we played against Houston.” 

“Oh God please not me.” Sam muttered. “I am just now killin’ it at center-back. I don’t think I remember how to play forward if he would even give me a shot.”

“He wouldn’t move you Sammy. Chris has that forward position locked up tight. Hood rat is biting on her heels if she ever needs a sub.” Danny reassured her.

“Well, he can’t move me. So, it is one of you three.” The goalkeeper looked at Julie, Mautz, and Danny. “Who is it Jules? Don’t leave them hanging.”

“Me.” She smirked as she answered, seeing the surprise cover all of their faces.

“You?” Danny squeaked. “To where?”

“Midfield. He thought that is where we were lacking against Houston and wants to shift me up to see if it makes a difference. He will slot Katie in next to Sam. That is why he pulled me into his office first thing this morning – he wanted to tell me before he told the team.”

“Then who gets dropped out of the midfield to make room?”

“Probably me.” Mautz spoke up. “I was shocked I got to play against Houston at all.”

“After your W-League season, he won’t relegate you to the bench.” Danny attempted to perk up her fellow midfielder. “Maybe he is going to turn you into a super sub, ala Tanc.”

“We could use one of those.” Sam agreed, hating seeing Mautz’s face crumble. “Besides, who says that Jule’s move is permanent? Maybe Rory is just wanting to tinker with the formation against a speedy Houston team. Katie and I already have some chemistry from last year, so it isn’t a huge switch, but it could be one that helps us grind out this win while Chris finds her scoring shoes.

“Another excellent point.” Julie chimed in. “We will just have to wait and see.”

“Yeah, I guess we will find out soon enough.” The blonde winger acknowledged their points, but they couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. There were only 10 spots on the pitch for a field player. The knowledge that once Rory found a formation that he liked, he stuck to it like glue did nothing to help calm her fears. More than likely, it was looking like she was headed to the bench.

“Ladies! Film time!” Rory hollered and gestured for them to head towards the front of the large room where the projector and screen were set up.

Alyssa made sure to hang back and walk with Mautz as they headed to find new seats. She didn’t know exactly what the other Alyssa was thinking, but the goalkeeper knew it had to be difficult to go from a starter to more of a role player. She wanted to give the woman an ear to vent to if necessary, without the fear of hurting feelings. That was one perk of being a goalkeeper – she didn’t fight for roster spots with most of the team. Her only competition this season was Michele, who wasn’t offering much at the moment. Mautz gave her a smile as they sat down, a silent acknowledgement of the offer. For now, she was curious as to what exactly Rory had to say.

\---

Becky and Yael were currently staring at Barnie’s bedroom door. Yael had been none-to-politely kicked out by the injured goalkeeper after she mentioned her flying out to Chicago with them for the game. The goalkeeper had grown angry, asking Yael why they expected her to fly out for a game that she wouldn’t be able to play in. She didn’t want to travel. She had no desire to be reminded that she still couldn’t play and wouldn’t be able to for a while. Any attempts at reasoning fell upon deaf ears, Barnie only growing louder in demands that she leave. Finally, Becky stepped in and removed Yael from the room, not wanting to cause Barnie to have a complete breakdown. That was how they ended up sitting in the hallway outside her door.

“Shit Broon. I really thought she would want to go on this trip. Get out of KC, see Lys, remember there is life outside of soccer.”

“I know you meant well Yael. But all she can think about is how she has to travel with a group full of soccer players and that she won’t even get to see the pitch for a year. Not to mention in Jane plays well, it will make the mountain of a comeback that much higher in her mind.”

“But how is her staying here in KC, shutting herself off from everyone any better? She hardly talks to anyone. I know that Krieger and a few others have reached out to her. Amy has been trying to get a hold of her. But she doesn’t answer. To any of them. I was only trying to help.” Yael sighed and leaned her head onto Becky’s shoulder. The blonde slid a comforting arm around her shoulders.

“Hey…you are doing everything you can for her. I saw the research you did on surgeons and trainers to make sure she got the best in the area. Not to mention you have practically moved in to make sure she is doing all of the prehab.” Becky rested her head on top of Yael’s. “Don’t beat yourself up. You both just need to calm down and collect yourselves before you talk again.”

“How much longer should I give her? It has been almost an hour.” Yael remarked after checking her watch. “If she hasn’t moved, she will be getting pretty stiff.”

“Why don’t you go talk to her while I find something to make for dinner. Just, stay calm. Listen to what she has to say. If she truly doesn’t want to go after you two explain your sides, then you can’t force her. We kind find someone here in KC to check on her.”

“Thanks, Broon.” The two women stood and hugged briefly before Becky ventured to the kitchen, Freyja on her heels.

Yael took a deep breath and ensured her mind was calm before knocking twice on the bedroom door. Getting no answer, she knocked again and counted to 10 before she entered. Nicole was in the same position as when Yael had been pulled from the room – sitting propped up in bed, knee elevated and iced (now melted) with the TV on. Athena was curled on the goalkeeper’s lap, content with the attention Barnie was giving her.

“Hey…” Yael slowly sat on the edge of the bed, not wanting to crowd Nicole.

“Hey.” Barnie’s voice was scratchy and the remnants of dried tears painted her cheeks.

“Nicole…” Yael’s spoke softly, unwilling to provoke another fight. “I’m sorry if Vlatko and I assumed too much. We thought it would be good for you to get out of the city is all. Reconnect with Alyssa and not be trapped in this house by yourself.”

“I don’t want to be forced to watch another game I can’t play in. It is bad enough having to walk Jane and Cat through film.” Nicole’s voice cracked. “I will do what I can to help them, but I really don’t know if I can watch them play right now.”

“Then you don’t have to watch the game. You can wander around Chicago, find the Bean, find a beach, go out on the lake, take a trip to the zoo, anything you want. None of us would ask you to make the trip to Toyota Park if you aren’t ready to. I’m sure if you wanted to just binge watch TV, Lys would give you the spare to her apartment. That is at least a change of scenery.”

“Why are you so hellbent on me going on this trip?” A wince crossed Nicole’s face as she shifted, her knee twinging with pain.

“Because…” Yael dared to scoot closer, placing a hand on the injured woman’s shoulder. “I am worried about you. You’ve been closing yourself off since the injury. You interact with myself, Broon, Jane, and Cat. That is basically it. The team is worried about you. Your family is too. I heard Becky speaking with them last night about your progress.”

“They all just want to talk about my damn knee.” Stray tears streaked down Nicole’s face. “I am tired of talking about it. Since it tore that day in practice, it is like I have become nothing but my knee. It is the last thing I want to talk about after going through prehab all day and checking in with the team.” Using the sleeve of her sleepshirt, Nicole tried to wipe the tears away as they fell. “It always circles back to how is my knee doing. I am more than just this broken knee. I am a person!” The last sentence was followed by a choked sob, scaring Athena from her lap.

Yael gathered the broken woman in her arms. She couldn’t fathom the personal hell Barnie had built in her head. The midfielder would wager that every time a person questioned Nicole about her knee, it sent her right back into the ring of torment. Yael felt her heart break, silently swearing she wouldn’t ask about it again unless Nicole broached the topic first. Rocking them side to side, she rested her head on top of Nicole’s and let her cry. Nothing she would be able to say could make this moment better. She couldn’t fix her knee. She couldn’t make the rehab any easier. And, quite frankly, that sucked. So, Yael did what she could. She held and rocked the goalkeeper while the tears and sobs flowed, encouraging Nicole to let out the fear and frustration she had kept bottled up to this point.

Becky popped her head in when the sobs lessened. She had grown concerned the moment they started but wanted to respect her friends’ privacy. Nicole had clearly felt safe enough to break down with Yael. She hadn’t done so with Becky, so the blonde didn’t want to risk ruining the moment. The midfielder gave her a discreetly shook her head and shooed Becky away. They could reheat dinner later. Nicole needed to process the torrent of emotions she had just released.

“We can talk about the trip tomorrow, ok? You don’t have to make a decision tonight.”

“Good.” Barnie raised her head up from Yael’s soaked shirt to speak. “I don’t think I can.”

“Well then it is a good thing you don’t have to.” Yael pressed a soft kiss to Barnie’s forehead. “How about I give your…that troublemaker a nice massage, so you can get up and grab some dinner here in a while.”  
“That…would be best. But no mention of it after this.” With those eyes, Yael couldn’t say no.

“I solemnly swear not to mention it unless you do.” Yael promised, a small smile gracing her lips.

Yael carefully slid down the mattress and lifted Barnie’s leg from the pillow, placing it in her lap. Barnie hissed when it moved, feeling it tighten and twinge. Yael shot her an apologetic glance before her hands got busy. The trainers had shown her the best movements to ease the pain. She did her best to mimic them, listening for Barnie to hiss or flinch when she hit a sore spot. Slowly, the muscles loosened under her careful fingers.

“Are you up for some dinner? I have no idea what Broon fixed, but I’m betting if we don’t like it, we have something in the fridge. There might even still be some of Amy’s leftovers.”

“Not really…but if I know I should.” She held up her hands to hold off the lecture she feared was coming. “I just…after…I don’t really have an appetite.”

“Well…how about I go find something small while you do a lap around the house to loosen up. Then we can curl up in here and watch whatever film you want.”

“Can…you…” The bedsheet drew Barnie’s attention as she struggled for words.

“I will make sure Broon leaves you alone for the night and tell her and the team not to mention the troublemaker unless you do.” 

“Thank you.” The words were spoken so softly that Yael had to strain to hear them.

Yael gently put Nicole’s knee back on the bed and stood, stretching. Before she left the room, the midfielder approached the injured woman and cupped her face in her hands. She lifted gently until Barnie’s eyes met her own.

“You’re welcome. You aren’t doing this alone. I know I’ve have been one of the people who have let your injury get in the way of you. I am sorry for that Nicole. I promise I won’t let it overshadow you again. I’m here. For whatever you need.” 

Lips pressed against Nicole’s forehead to seal the promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, 20 chapters. Never thought we would make it this far. Thanks for sticking with it! I like this format for most of the NWSL season, letting me give snapshots in different places throughout the time in between games. What do you think of it? Did you like the flow of the chapter? Do you think they will get the wedding planned in time? Will Barnie open up to someone about her injury? Are things a little too quiet in Chicago? I always love to hear back from y'all.  
> -Red


	21. NWSL 2017 Week 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becky and FCKC travel to Chicago to take on Alyssa and the Red Stars with Nicole in tow.

League Summary:

4/22  
Orl v Was: 1-1 (Evans; Sigvardsen Jensen)  
Chi v FCKC: 3-0 (Ertz x2, McCaffrey)  
NCC v Por: 1-0 (Debhina)  
Sea v Hou: 3-1 (Fishlock, Rapinoe, Johnson; Poliana)

4-23  
Bos v Sky Blue: 1-0 (Dowie)

\---

Alyssa found it was nice to have a full apartment again, even if only for a few hours. Yael, Nicole, and Becky had joined her for a low-key dinner once they had gotten into town. She might have overdone it, but the leftovers would keep her well-fed for a few days. The four women had gathered in her living room after Becky loaded the dishwasher, curled under blankets to stave off the chill in the air. Becky knew better than to ask Alyssa to turn on her heat. The Chicago goalkeeper didn’t fail to notice that Nicole and Yael had curled together under one blanket on her couch. Their closeness brought a smile to her face.

“So, what are your plans for tomorrow, Nicole? Becky mentioned that you might head downtown before the game and explore a little.” Alyssa asked as she wrapped her arms around Becky, who had climbed into her lap.

“That’s the plan, if the troublemaker will hold up. Figured I could find the Bean that everyone here keeps raving about and enjoy the lake. Maybe even read a book. Who knows, really?”

“Those all sound lovely. A book under a tree in Millennium Park is one of my favorite ways to relax. I’ve looked into getting a hammock for off days once the weather gets nicer.”

“I just might join you on that adventure the next time we are in town.” Becky mused, glad that Alyssa was encouraging Nicole to get out into the city.

“You’re always welcome to share my hammock.” The goalkeeper assured her, placing a kiss above her ear. Turning her attention back to Nicole, she stated “I’ll give you my spare set of keys, so you can come and go tomorrow as you please. Feel free to watch the game from here. Or binge watch crappy, daytime TV. Or nap. I’ll have the leftovers in the fridge and plenty of icepacks in the freezer. Use whatever you need.”

“Thanks Lys, I will.” Nicole showed a grateful smile. She was glad she decided to get on the plane.

It had taken some poking and prodding not only from Yael and Becky, but from Vlatko and the rest of the team. A-rod had even gotten Cheney to give her a call. That got Nicole’s attention. The FCKC legend was recovering from brain surgery while raising her child. Yet she had found the time to call Nicole and advise her to get out of the house when she could. Nicole took the advice to heart. Hearing it from someone going through a medical struggle had validated the advice in her mind.

“How have things been in KC? Athena and Freyja aren’t giving you too much trouble, are they?” 

“Athena has been my constant companion.” Nicole smiled at the thought of the shy black cat who had become her shadow.

“She does have an affinity for goalkeepers, much to this one’s dismay.” Alyssa chuckled while gesturing to her fiancé. “What about Freyja?”

“Freyja won’t stay out of her way. Constantly underfoot.” Yael grumbled. “We are lucky she is belled. And we’re going to have to watch her once the troublemaker is fixed.”

“Sounds like you are still staying in the house Yael.” Becky’s hand squeezed Alyssa’s under the blanket, warning the goalkeeper from going too far. “Plans on moving in? Do I need to move a few of my things?”

Nicole turned red at what Alyssa was insinuating. Her and Yael hadn’t had a moment to have a speak what to tell anyone about the new feelings between them. Being private people, it hadn’t been something they felt necessary to discuss just yet. The defender stroked Nicole’s abs under the covers, feeling the way her goalkeeper had tensed at Alyssa’s words. The last thing Nicole needed was another panic attack. She had only regained her footing from the last one. Yael made sure to keep her breathing slow and even for Nicole to mimic.

“I have already moved what was blocking the guest bed, so at least I had a place to lay my head. Nicole and Becky have both requested that I stick around to help with things while the troublemaker is sorted out. It is better than living alone and much more affordable.”

“As long as you stay out of the master bedroom, I don’t have an issue with you staying so long as Becky doesn’t.” Alyssa picked up on the ques and backed off, not wanting to ruin the evening and stress out her friend.

Becky seized the moment and turned the conversation to the various novels the women had been reading. It took Nicole a while before she felt calm enough to chime in about her mystery thriller. The four women caught up and made promises to exchange books once they were finished. Yael kept an eye on the time, not wanting to push curfew with the game tomorrow. When they had 45 minutes remaining, she handed Nicole her pain medicine then spoke.

“As reluctant as I am to leave the two of you, Broon and I should probably get on the road if we are going to make it back to the hotel by curfew.”

“I don’t want you to go…” Alyssa playfully moaned, wrapping her arms tighter around Becky for one last moment. 

“I know you don’t. But we have to be back or Vlatko will have us running sprints for days. After he makes me run sprints for days on end for not upholding the captaincy to the highest standards.” There was no doubt in her voice.

“Fine…” The goalkeeper sighed and let Becky stand up. While Alyssa pushed herself up, Becky walked over and waited next to Nicole and Yael. She was close enough to catch Nicole should she fall when she stood up.

The injured woman slowly got to her feet, feeling her knee lock up when she attempted to bend it. Becky was there in an instant, providing a steadying shoulder for Nicole to grasp on to. It took a moment for her to steady herself. Rather than stare, Alyssa went and started turning down the sheets in her spare room/office. Vlatko had agreed to allow Nicole to stay with Alyssa for the night, rather than have her holed up in the hotel with the team. Becky and Nicole arrived first, Yael following behind them with Nicole’s bag.

“Alright. Bed and such are here. You know where the bathroom is from earlier. Towels and wash cloths are in the cabinet in the bathroom. I’ll go grab you a few spare pillows for the troublemaker.”  
Alyssa slid out and ventured to her spare hall closet. When she returned with 3 pillows and her favorite ice pack, Yael and Becky had helped Barnie change and get into bed. Yael took the pillows from her and slid them under her knee before expertly placing the ice pack on top of it all.

“Sleep well. Call me tomorrow when you’re up.” Yael spoke softly, a hand laid lovingly on Nicole’s good knee.

“I will.” The woman in the bed gave a sleepy smile, her medicine kicking in.

The three women left her alone and made their way to the foyer of Alyssa’s apartment. Yael and Becky double checked their purses for all their contents before saying their goodbyes.

“Thank you again for letting her stay here. This is the best day she seems to have had in a while.” Yael gave Alyssa a soft hug. 

“You’re more than welcome.” Alyssa reassured her.

“I’ll wait outside. Not too long, Broon.”

The moment the door closed, Becky had pressed herself into Alyssa’s arms. Oh, how she loved feeling them wrap around her, protecting her from the outside world. Alyssa held onto the blonde. She knew that Becky was feeling an enormous amount of stress. They both were. She took a moment and inhaled the scent of pure Becky, letting it wrap around her senses until she found her center.

“Hey…you can do this. I know you can.” Alyssa murmured into the top of Becky’s hair. “You’re…you’re like Captain Marvel. You can do it all.”

“Did you just make a Marvel superhero reference?” Becky inquired, peaking her head out.

“Yeah…I thought it was a good one.” Alyssa’s brow crinkled. “Was it not?”

“No…no sweetheart it was perfect.” Becky leaned up on her toes and kissed Alyssa’s nose. “I should go. We do have to be back by curfew. I’ll bring my bags to the field tomorrow. Yael will probably tag along as well, if you don’t mind having the three of us crammed in here with you.”

“I don’t mind at all.” The goalkeeper promised. She pressed a kiss to Becky’s lips. “Go on and let me know when you are in for the night.”

“I will sweetheart. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Alyssa opened the door for her fiancé and watched her leave, meeting Yael at the elevator.

She didn’t close her door until they had boarded the elevator and are out of sight. Alyssa locked up the apartment before heading back down the hall. Peaking in on Nicole, Alyssa found that she was fast asleep, knee still propped up under and the ice pack. It took a moment for Alyssa to quietly cross the room and remove it, not wanting Nicole to leave it on all night. She made sure to throw it back in the freezer for the morning before going to her bedroom. It took notable effort for her to stay awake until Becky texted her that she was back in the hotel. Wrapped in the shirt that smelled of Becky and their home in KC, the goalkeeper drifted off to sleep a few moments later, eager for the game tomorrow afternoon.

\---

Alyssa couldn’t keep the smile from her face. Chicago had rebounded from the thumping at Houston to thump FCKC in their first home game of the season. She and the defense worked hard to keep a shutout, while Julie punished Jane for her inexperience and Steph had even snuck in a goal at the end to open her 2017 account. She stripped off her gloves and tucked them in the back of her shorts before hugging her defense. Katie had slotted right in next to Sam and played like a veteran. The duo had allowed Julie to shift to the midfield and become a human wrecking ball.

“Excellent game. You kept Syd in check, Gilly. We are lucky A-rod could only play the last 20 or so or we would have been in some serious trouble.” 

“No kidding.” Sam snorted. “But hey, we got the shutout! I will do my best to not rub it in your fiancé’s face over dinner.”

Alyssa could only shake her head as she moved on to other players on the field, trading hugs with them all. Reaching her favorite blonde, Alyssa gathered her into a hug. Becky’s arms circled her waist. The two didn’t move for a moment, then shared a short kiss.

“Good game you.” Becky spoke first.

“Thank you. You played well, too.”

“Thank you, even if I don’t quite believe it.” The blonde smiled and grabbed a water bottle from one of the trainer’s caddies.

“What is it you always tell me? You will. Once you go back and watch the footage.” Alyssa smiled and stole a drink for herself.

“Auntie Lyssa!” She had only a moment to brace herself before Ryan tackled Alyssa’s legs, sending her backwards several steps.

“Ryan!” Grinning, the goalkeeper scooped him up and swung him around. “How are you?”

“Goods! I got all kinds of new dinosaurs to show you!”

“You did?” Alyssa gapes at him, her green eyes twinkling. “Tell me about them!”

Ryan began talking as fast as he could about his newest acquisitions as Alyssa listened intently to his descriptions. Amy approached Becky with a look of apology on her face.

“I’m sorry, once he saw her, he demanded I put him down. Auntie Lyssa needed to be caught up on his latest dinosaur friends.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. Look at the smile he brings to her face. That is always worth it.” Becky hugged her fellow blonde. “How are you holding up?”

“As well as can be expected. I’ll be back to a full 90 soon, don’t you worry.”

“Good.” The two women stood in silence for a moment, both watching Alyssa and the eldest Rodriguez son. “Who has Luke?”

“Julie. She is getting those baby urges with Zach, so I gave her Luke to get them out of her system.” Amy grinned.

“Good idea.” Becky snorted. “Jill and Rory might have a heart attack if she ends up pregnant right now.”

“No kidding.” Amy laughed as Alyssa approached them, Ryan balanced on her hip. “Did you catch Auntie Lyssa up on all of your dinosaurs?”

“Uh huh! She said that you should send her pictures of them so that she can see them all since I was only allowed to bring Trike and Spike to the field.”

“I will do that when we get back to the hotel tonight. You can help me set them up in cool poses for her.”

“Yay!” Ryan clapped with pure excitement.

“Come hang out with mommy for a while bud so Lys can go sign autographs for the fans. I bet we can find you a snack in the locker room before mommy goes to the reporters.”

“Aww…ok.” Ryan’s face dropped as Amy held out her arms to take him.

“Maybe, if you ask really nice, you can sit with Auntie Lyssa at dinner tonight.” Amy suggested after glancing at the goalkeeper to make sure it was alright.

“Really? Please Auntie Lyssa? Please?” Ryan clasped his hands together and stuck out his lower lip when he turned to face the goalkeeper. Combined with his puppy dog eyes, there was no way in the universe Alyssa was going to say no, even if she wanted to.

“Well…only if you are really good for your mommy until then, ok?”

“Ok!” Ryan grinned and waved as Amy walked towards the locker room.

“Up for signing some autographs with me?” Alyssa turned and asked Becky, cocking her head. “Or are you wanted in the mixed zone for questions?”

“Ahh I just have to get there eventually. Do you have a marker I can borrow?” The defender wanted to maximize the time they spent together.

“I’ll grab you one from our bucket.”

The two women started at the supporter’s section and worked down the line. They took photographs and signed autographs for anyone who wanted one. When the fans saw that Becky would be joining Alyssa, they went a little crazy. Both did their best to get to everyone and still move down the line, knowing they would get pulled for the mixed zone at some point for questions. Maybe, they could time it right and both head that way at the same time. 

Alyssa caught the nod from the Chicago rep after about 20 minutes and nudged Becky with her hip.

“That’s my signal. Want to come with?”

“Sure thing.” 

The two women finished signing for the small group of children they were at before making their way back towards the tunnel. They got separated by the Chicago PR person, who sent Becky to the group of reporters on the left and Alyssa to the group on the right. Both got peppered with questions about the game and the respective starts of their teams this NWSL season. Alyssa stayed a moment longer, having to talk to the local Chicago reporters in more detail.

Rather then head to the visitor’s locker room, Becky chose to wait at the end of the tunnel for her fiancé. She leaned against the wall and watched her talk with the local reporters. Alyssa’s hands gave away her excitement from her team’s performance, even from a distance. The defender would put money down that she had a wide grin on her face, too. Their team had bounced back – she had every right to be happy. FCKC on the other hand, got whooped. But it was only the 2nd game, they still had plenty of time to turn things around. Determined not to let the game intrude on the time she got to spend with Alyssa, Becky shook her head to clear it.

“Everything ok, Cap?” Katie Bowen paused on her way to the locker room to check in on her friend.

“Yeah, we’re good.” Becky gave the New Zealander a small smile. “Just waiting for Lys to finish up with Sandra and John.”

“Ahh gotcha.” Her fellow blonde winked and offered a wave as she continued on her way. “See you tomorrow morning for the flight!”

The grin hadn’t left Becky’s face when Alyssa found her waiting at the end of the tunnel.

“Hey you.” Alyssa stepped forward and placed a chaste kiss on Becky’s upturned lips. “Are you waiting for me?”

“Always, dear.” Becky hummed as the two continued toward the locker rooms. “You sure you don’t mind having the three of us crammed into your place for the night?”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t dare try to keep Yael from Nicole. I have a feeling she would sweet talk her way into the building then break down my door. I like the door. I would rather not replace it.” Alyssa’s deadpanned, bubbling laughter from her fiancé. 

“Well, that would eat into our wedding budget, so that is probably a good idea.” The two women paused outside of the Red Stars locker room, Becky placing a soft hand on Alyssa’s bicep. “Go shower up. I’ll find you at the car after we finish up.”

“Alright love.” Alyssa smiled and again kissed her fiancé. “See you soon.”

\---

“So, how is the wedding planning going?” Julie quirked an eyebrow at her fellow center-back. 

The two teams had gone out to dinner, taking over the back room of a local haunt near Toyota Park. Nicole had gotten a ride out to meet them and was currently sandwiched between Yael and Becca Moros, chatting with Casey Short. Alyssa and Becky were on the other end of the table, chatting with Julie and Sam Johnson. Ryan was sitting right next to Alyssa, playing with his dinosaurs and asking the most random of questions.

“Yeah, Lys here won’t tell us anything.” Sam gestured with her drink toward the goalkeeper. “Every time we ask, all we get is ‘it’s going fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell you later.’ You two are actually planning a wedding, right?”

“They are!” Ryan chimed in. “Mommy and Auntie Becky talk about it a lots and Auntie Becky has a special notebook for it! She let me see it when she came over for dinner!” His enthusiasm garnered chuckles from everyone at the table.

“Well, there is your answer.” Becky snorted. “Yes, we are planning a wedding. We picked a venue and just settled on our colors. Next up is dress shopping.”

“Where are you going to tie the knot? Lyssa this is the stuff you tell us!” Sam flicked the goalkeeper with droplets from her water glass. She earned a glare in return.

“I was going to tell you over coffee tomorrow.” Alyssa huffed. “I wanted to make sure we were settled on everything. Things are already hard enough to decide without more people chiming in.”  
“I can relate.” Julie spoke up, wanting to prevent an argument as she sent a light glare at Sam. “There were so many people trying to help Zach and I plan it, I ended up blowing up at them and telling everyone to butt out.”

“If you can avoid that, all the better.” Amy agreed. “So what colors did you settle on? Broon told me you were close.”

“See for yourself.” Becky reached around and grabbed her bag from the back of her chair. Reaching into an inner pocket, she drew out an envelope and handed it to Sam. The defender quirked an eyebrow, confused for a moment. Alyssa gestured for her to open the envelope.

Julie and Sam both oohed in appreciation when the paint chips fell onto the table. Becky had managed to find a dark blue, a few shades lighter than a traditional midnight blue, that paired lovely with the sparkle of silver.

“These are beautiful! Lys, is that the blue from the picture you have hanging in your living room?” The goalkeeper nods in affirmation. “Those will be beautiful.”

“Am I wrong to guess that it is a winter wedding?” Julie cocked her head and stared at the couple. ‘These are definitely winter colors.”

“You’re right on the nose Jules. It was the only time we could make it work. Save the dates are going to be sent out soon.” Becky confirmed, squeezing Alyssa’s thigh excitedly under the table. Every time they talked about the wedding, she couldn’t help but grow impossibly giddy.

“Yay!” The blonde clapped her hands together, returning Becky’s grin. “Have you been dress shopping yet?”

“Not yet.” Alyssa confessed. “I was going to ask you both tomorrow to go with me next Sunday along with Amanda, Abby, and my mom.”

“Of course, we will go with you!” Sam and Julie both squealed and clapped their hands excitedly. “We will make sure you look drop dead gorgeous. Becky here won’t be able to stop the tears from flowing. Count on it.”

“That is a tall order Johnson. You sure you can handle it?” Becky could only laugh at their excitement. She knew Alyssa was planning on asking a few of the girls to go with her, but she hadn’t settled on who the last time the two spoke about it.

“Between me and JJ here, it will be a piece of cake. Count on it.” Sam sassed back, high-fiving her partner in crime. Alyssa could only shake her head as the two started animatedly talking about what she would look best in. They would certainly be a handful.

“Auntie Lyssa can I be in your wedding?” Ryan tugged on the edge of Alyssa’s sleeve to get her attention.

“Well..uh…” Alyssa’s eyes went wide at the question. They hadn’t gotten that far. “I’m sure we can find something for you to do Ryan. It will be a very important job.”

“Promise?” He forgoes his mac and cheese to stare up at her with those incredibly Amy-like eyes.

“Yeah buddy I promise.” Alyssa stutters out after a quick glance at Becky, who gave her a reassuring smile when she squeezed her thigh.

“Yay!!! I’ll be the bestest I promise!” The young boy exclaims as he claps, sending mac and cheese flying down the table. Amy scrambled out of her seat to clean it up as laughs spread throughout the women.

\---

The two women were curled in Alyssa’s bed that night after having a round of night caps with Yael and Nicole. Alyssa was the big spoon, comfortably wrapped around her favorite blonde. Becky’s hands were intertwined with her own while resting comfortably on her stomach. Both were unwilling to surrender to sleep. They would rather soak in comforting presence of each other.

“Are you excited to go dress shopping?” It was the goalkeeper who asked the question.

“Oh yeah. Mom and dad managed to convince Grant and Adam they need to fly in. It will be a whole family affair. Nicole and Yael are going to come help. KO is going to crash the party I am sure. I asked Zola if he could make it in, but it all depends on work. I can’t imagine anyone else but them helping me find the perfect dress to marry you in.”

Alyssa was grateful for the darkness to hide her blush.

“What about you?”

“I don’t know…what if I don’t find the right dress? Finding a regular dress that doesn’t make me look bulky is difficult enough as is. I can’t imagine trying to find a wedding dress that doesn’t.” Her voice trails off as she finishes her thought.

“Hey.” Becky squeezed her hand and pulled Alyssa’s arms tighter around herself in an attempt to reassure her. “You will. It won’t be as easy as either one of us wants, I am sure of that, but we will find the perfect outfits for our wedding day. If you want to look at a different store or need to go back a couple of times to make sure it is the one, that is ok too. We have time.”

“Do we? We still have so much left to do…” The quiver in her voice betrayed her uncertainty.

Becky unthreaded their hands and turned over in Alyssa’s arms. The dim light filtered through the curtains allowed her to see the outline of her fiance’s face. Reaching up, she cupped Alyssa’s face and drew her forehead down to rest on her own.

“Listen to me Alyssa Naeher. You deserve to be both comfortable and beautiful on our wedding day. If that means it takes you months to find the right dress, so be it. If you end up forgoing a dress for a suit, so be it. You deserve to be glowing on the best day of our lives, ok?  
”  
The tenderness in Becky’s voice brought tears to Alyssa’s eyes. She blinked hastily to stop them from flowing.

“Ok honey.” Her voice again quivered with emotion. “Just have Amanda or someone remind me of that if things go south that day, ok?”

“Count on it.” A kiss sealed their promise. 

Proceeding to turn back over, the blonde snuggled into her favorite pair of arms. Alyssa threw a leg over Becky’s whilst pulling her as close as she can. The two women settled under the blankets and attempted to sleep. Alyssa was snoring after a few moments, but Becky lay awake a moment longer. She felt the weight of sleep on her eyelids, but she her mind refused to sleep. Alyssa’s words turned over in her mind. She had to find a way to get Alyssa enthused about wedding planning.

It might be time to lean more on the moms for help, and perhaps even find a wedding planner. The season was only going to pick up and having someone coordinate the details and make sure nothing got overlooked would certainly lessen the burden on them all. Making a mental note to ask the moms to start doing some background research on them, Becky felt satisfied enough to start giving into sleep. She closed her eyes and snuggled back into the goalkeeper, glad to have someone in her bed. This was the best sleep she was probably going to get for a while. It was best she not waste it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited, but I feel terrible for keeping you all waiting so long. Thanks for sticking with it. Not sure when the next chapter will be up.  
> -Red


End file.
